Cheap microcontroller using arduino chip

you can breadboard one out of a couple parts and some bits of wire to run @ 8mhz, add a ceramic resonator and your basicly good to go for 16mhz

you can get the avr chips for a couple bucks, or programed with the arduino bootloader for 3-4 bucks

http://www.instructables.com/id/SXKMW7EFB7FYOJT/