Something weird on my finger?

for the past while (ever since around september) i've had this weird thing on the top part of my finger. it started off looking like a callus and a blister at the same time, kind of hard, and then it started to peel off--the skin is very hard, brittle, and dry and kind of splits open and then flakes off. if i cover it with a bandaid it seems to help for a while, until it comes back....going to a doctor to check it out would be pretty costly, i was wondering if any of you had any ideas. i described it to a doctor friend who suggested it might be a wart--confirmation? thank you! it's driving me NUTS!