This isn't a technical question, it's an economics question. If you would rather put in effort than dollars, then do it yourself, and it will work great for a while. But if your business takes off, you will accumulate email-related problems like bacteria, and suddenly that $20/month starts to sound reeal worth it.

Great insights except for: "...digital technologies may actually be the opportunity to get the consumer to pay for content when they were never willing to do so before". Or as Homer Simpson put it, "After years of failed get-rich-quick schemes, here's a scheme that'll really get me rich. And quick!"