I would PM you back but I've reached my 1,000 PM limit looks like I gotta export my PMs again!
4 AAA's for under $10? Good luck.
I know you want to avoid eBay but I would consider buying from
ptron1 (SunnBattery.com) which sells quality, high capacity rechargeable NiMH batteries for a reasonable price. Thomas Distributing is also a great place to buy from.
You could buy 8 AAA Nexcell 650 mAH's for $10 (or $12 BIN) plus shipping. I know it's over your budget but Nexcell makes some awesome batteries.
Pay a little more and get the new 700 mAH's, you won't have to replace these for a very long time.