What size are you looking for, and where will you be shopping?
Just so's we're clear here, you do mean an HD-ready set, not an HD set, right?
So is it worth it to pay for HD now even though I dont plan to get
HD programming for another year or so?
Hmm. Let's propose some scenarios and see where they lead.
If you can afford to buy a non-HD-ready TV now and a whole new HD-ready TV in one year, and you want to have two large TVs, only one of which will play HD, then buying a TV now that is not HD-ready is feasible.
If you intend to always have just one, that is one-point-o televisions, one year is a pretty short time to amortize $900 - $1000 if you REPLACE the non-HD-ready set. This option is the first option except you give away this year's TV, sell it, or take it out for target practice.
So the thing to do is get an HD-ready set now. You buy one TV, don't replace it, don't have to sell one, don't have an oldie hanging around....
Which brings us back to size: what can you get that is HD-ready, for $1000?