$1 Budget: Dollar Tree Lights!
Lights can come from all kinds of stores, but I've been really impressed what I've found at the local Dollar Tree. Sure, it's all cheaply made, but I can afford it and there are some really interesting applications this time around. Some of these ideas aren't fully formed yet, but I like sharing anyway in case something strikes a chord. Look for slightly more money being spent (as you have been encouraging me to do so) in the near future.
Comments
Regarding the puck lights, I'm not sure how much it would help (and you may have already thought of this yourself), but you could cut out rounds of parchment paper and tape them to the light's face to attempt to diffuse the spread of the LEDs. Granted, I don't know how bright they are without being there with you to see for myself, but parchment paper is only about a dollar at a grocery store, so it's totally within the $1 budget for these videos.