and the $$$ If you look on ebay, you can get ni-mh rechargeables for around $.80 per sometimes in groups of 12 or more. I've recharged mine probably 30 times and run them out. I have a ton of AAA's and it never seems like I have enough, or enough of them charged.

Those 30 times are 120 batteries that would have been in the garbage by now. Well, maybe not quite, I think some of those batteries you use might last longer than a charge on my AAA's, but you get the idea. My batteries would last longer too if i charged them slower.