I managed to get back 214 years without spending a penny, other than on paper and pencils. Admittedly, I did still live within 20 miles of where my family originated and actually in the town where the archived records were kept, but it was a lot more informative than just ticking off certificates.

As VirginiaTam says, use your local Records Office. They're full of all manner of things that you might otherwise miss. Most of them have microfiche readers, scanned documents and very helpful assistants, but on request, if possible, they will let you see the original documents which is far more thrilling than any online facility.

LTS