Replacement key

Daughter, away at college, locked her only key inside her 2003 Neon (manual locks). Got it open with a locksmith and $55. (Pried the door and pushed the button...some locksmith!)
Anyway, trying to get a spare key just to unlock the door if she should do this again but everyone wants to sell her an $80 key with a chip in it. Don't need a working ignition key; just a key that will unlock the door. Is this obtainable?
Of course, every place she has gone to wants to make $$$ instead of providing what she needs.

You can get a new spare enrcypted key cut at one of your local hardware stores, you might have to call around for a price.
It's usually 1/2 the dealer cost.

Also have another spare key cut for $2 ,that's not encrypted and hide it on the exterior body in case of lock out.
It wont start the car, but it's a cheap way getting into the car if keys are locked in.

A key cut from the original encrypted one will work the doors but not the ignition it will start but die. FYI if the head of the key is black it isn’t encrypted and if it is gray it is.

have her go to the local walmart. have them make a key or a few of them. or check around there are some locksmiths that will make you a cheep key. they want you as a customer. so if they do it for you you mite come back later for other keys and locks.

on a similar note to this...could the encrypted key be kept somewhere near the steering column and use a spare cut key to start it? just curious...

I have heard of gluing the encrypted part of key behind the steering wheel cover, and using a regular cut key for the ignition.

A good source for how security systems work is Bulldog Security.
They have to bypass them to make their remote starters work. I look at the wiring diagrams on there site to help figure out how they work

I purchased a blank key from ebay and took it to walmart and they cut it for free. I was told that if I ever lose the key for the ignition that I was going to have to have the hold ignition redone. Called the dodge dealership they wanted to charge $30 for the key and $60 to program. It's a no win situation so I'm going to pay the $90 for the spare key.