If you go with www.airchart.com (howie keefe etc), you can get the
WHOLE 48 states for a year for $259 including updates. And the updates
work. Just file the updates (throw out the old updates) and scan them
for changes on your approaches or enroutes. Combine that with all the
online stuff and you have all you need.

You can get an area for a year (like all the NE) for a low price of
$60.

I have used the system and it works. I actually like the bound govt
charts as my book usually ends up on the floor, the charts don't get
"moved around" in the book, and my alternates are in the same book as
my destination.

Check out the review on
http://www.avweb.com/news/reviews/182599-1.html

I am in no way affiliated with aircharts or any other charting
service. Just a customer.

Their VFR atlas is great also.