You can use 74HC595. You need two of thoses chips to display a 8 X 8 Matrix. 3 of them is your 8 X 8 is a Red - Green type. Work with SPI. I am not using SPI yet for them, I using the shiftOut(). Check it out for the 74HC595. And they are easy to use.
Have you tried Ebay?
I got 10 max7219 for like 5 bucks a few months ago.
You did ? well my order came today, and I order 7 MAX7219 for under $5.... I taught it was ... to my mistake... instead of 7 chips came in.... ( I did not read : FOR 10 Chips ).... I got ... 70 chips about 0.50 each.
They where wrap in ...plastics wrap... I was expecting into a antistatic pink / black foam. And I order them a month ago. ( China --> Toronto, Canada ) I hope they are in working conditions.
If the OP don't mind the waiting... 0.50 each is not a bad price.
Nah ! Not yet... I like to keep them.... for now... but I maybe possible to trade some of them ...
I just hope those chips are working... that is my consern at this time. I have to learn to hook-it up, how to use them, do so projects with them and looking for ideas to use them.