Actually the first question is do I actually want a iPad or do I want a tablet.
It is like thinking you need a vacuum cleaner and only thinking of buying a "hoover" because that is what many people call them.
There are plenty of makes of tablet, and they are not all iPads.
Note many of them run software called Android that is produced by Google. An iPad does NOT run Android but software called iOS made by Apple.
So do consider a Samsung Tablet running Android.
They have recently brought out a new range of tablets (Galaxy Tab 3) and they are every bit as good as iPads but a bit cheaper.
http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/tablets/tablets