How? Or more appropriately, how without spending a whole lot of money? Yo, people who post songs on hear, how do you do it?

Somebody help me... I found some multitrack recorders for around $300. That's way to much. I just need something temporary. I saw on one band's website they said they recorded their stuff with a digital camera. I need something like that. Something... cheap.

I use a wrongly acquired copy of Cakewalk Sonar and record everything to my computer with a microphone or DI box.

I use the Fostex MR-8 Digital Multitrack Recorder. It was around $300, and that's about the cheapest multitracker you can get. If you don't mind getting them used, try this one on ebay. It started at $75 w/o a reserve. Others are on there for under $200. Unfortunately, I wasn't an ebayer when I bought mine. Also, she optionally runs on batteries to make it truly portable if need be. But it sucks down the batteries on mixdowns, and I've never needed it to be so portable, so I just plug it in.

If you want to use your computer, try Cakewalk, Cool Edit Pro 2.0, Guitar Tracks 2, or Project 5. I have those, but have never tried them out because I hate sitting at my computer to record.

Hey DogS, what all does your 8 tracker do? Can it add things to the tracks like effects? On my multieffects pedal I have an 8 track also but all I can do is change the volume of the tracks and which speakers they come out of.

no... you can get a cassette based 4track for $100 new

coughed up a couple hundred to go to a studio.

just now looking into home recording just so that i can put down random musical muses when they hit me.

You can add one of 4 different reverb effects, but that's about it as far as effects. Also has 3 mic/amp simulators, but you can only add those during recording, not after. I'm going to get a larger one someday because 8 tracks just isn't enough, especially since I record from my guitar processor in stereo.
There's other things. You can get details here.
If you wanted to lose a lot of sound quality, sure - cassette.

exactly... dont go cassette they suck.

Are those cassette recorders somehow multi-pass, or do you have to have everything record simultaneously? The latter would be pretty useless for anything but a full band.

http://www.fasoft.com/

Free trial on their software, never runs out.

I use(d) that. For acoustic stuff and distortion, use a mic. If you're fortunate enough to be playing in clean, just plug your amp into your computer. Great sound for free.

http://www.purevolume.com/hidingintherhubarb
This was all recorded that way.

I finally remembered the program I used to use.
Multiquence. Made (I assume) by the makers of Goldwave. One thing though: on playback, the track position may be a bit off, but after mixing it to a single wave, it should be precise. This might've been fixed since I used it. It was a few years ago.