Hi Cyndi,
A long arm machine is very expensive and $8000 is pretty much as low as they go. Of course that includes a rack and stitch regulator.
It is possible to quilt on a domestic sewing machine. You can even use the machine you have now if you can get a walking foot for it and a free motion quilting foot (also known as a darning foot or a big foot).
You may want to go to your local library and see if they have any books on machine quilting methods. Harriet Hargrave and Diane Gaudynski are two very famous DSM quilters. Also here is a great blog with video how toos on DSM FMQ
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/