by aarushi2001 » Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:11 am
If you are in US - you could file for a provisional patent - it will give your idea 1 year protection. Provisional patents are cheap (about $265) and take about 4-6 weeks to approve.
To further reduce your cost, you could also apply as micro-entity status or small entity status, if applicable. For a person filing as a micro-entity, the patent cost is reduced by 75%. Please make sure you read rules and regulations before applying as a micro entity.
Hope it helps!