I've dyed my hair black for years (at least the last five). But I want to try something new and want to get rid of my black hair with out damaging it or spending too much money. What can I do? If I do need to go to a salon, how much am I looking at spending? My hair is a little past my shoulders.

Black or dark hair contains a lot of red pigment in it, and if you apply a box of permanent color on your hair, it will result in a red/orange color. If you want to go 3 shades or more lighter without the red tones, you will need to bleach your hair and then deposit the desired color. You should definitely consider getting your hair professionally done.