Originally posted by Damn Brit What about those small cooler bags you can buy that are just big enough for a sandwich and a drink. They are pretty cheap in supermarkets and drug stores.
Failing that, find a piece of foam and cut out the shape of the camera, even cheaper.
Excellent suggestions - there's no reason to only look and pay for 'photographic' stuff.
Myself, for my work backpack, I took the insides of an old used camera bag out and stuffed it into the bottom of the backpack. Works ok. Yard sales, goodwill, and even little camera stores may have such for less dollars than you have fingers, even in one hand, even if you've had an industrial accident...