I've been very successful in etching my own PCBs. The nice thing is that this opens up the world of SMD components, which can be extremely convenient. Much easier to solder than most folks would realize and significantly reduces the amount of hole drilling required.
I design in Eagle (freeware edition).
Print to Staples High Gloss photo paper on a laser printer.
Iron it onto my copper clad, and soak off the paper.
Etch it using an HCL/H2O2 solution in a small plastic container.
Wipe off the toner with acetone.
Drill holes with drill press.
If I don't mess up a trace during the iron-on/soak-off transfer process, I can crank out a good sized PCB from start to finish in about 15 minutes. The entire process uses components I already use or had laying around the house. (Muriatic acid, found at pool supply or local hardware store, is a good source of HCL)