As to the RAM prices, theyve gone up like crazy. I recently bought 2 gigs of corsair XMS2 PC6400 for $185. Now the same memory is ~ $300
Alot of people are upgrading to C2D's and demand for DDR2 has gone up alot, especially performance DDR2. I read somewhere that prices will stabilize sometime next year but there was doubt as to if they will go down again.
About your monitor, Id suggest anything with a 17" or more viewable area, whether it be CRT or LCD. I think a CRT will fit better into your budget. If you really want an LCD, consider saving in other areas and pick up a 17" LCD.