Nature's Gate and Mill Creek have some of the best conditioners out there --and not just for the money, for any money. Just look at the different conditioners and read the labels/ingredients, do your research and you will see. If you are looking for a wonderful protein conditioner which will also leave your hair moisturized look at both the Nature's Gate and Mill Creek keratin conditioners. The NG aloe and jojoba are wonderful moisturizing conditioners. Nature's Gate left my hair feeling better than Nexxus Phyto-Organics Humectin -- by far...
I see conditioner like Back to Basics and Bain de Terre at Big Lots all the time -- the liter sizes for $3.50 and they are not necesarily discontinued items, but there because of packaging changes and, of course, over-stocks. Also, check out Marshall's and TJ Maxx for discounted salon products and Salonsavings.com online. I see great stuff in those stores all the time -- the same things I see in Ulta, but deeply discounted.
I co-wash with VO5 and white rain conditioners. I buy several bottles at a time. THe discontinued ones in the dollar store have waaaay better and more numerous hair friendly ingredients than those brands have currently in regular retail drug and grocery stores. For example the VO5 juicy mango passion has 12 hair friendly ingredients like mango and papaya extracts, panthenol, vitamin e, aloe vera and on and on. None of the current VO5 conditioners in the store have as many. You'd be surprised what you can get for $1.00 a bottle in the Dollar Store or Big Lots. Of course, I would not use them if they did not work and the ones I have tried leave me with soft, moisturizined, detangled hair.