question about extracting value from a string

[nephish at xit.net]

hey there,

i have looked at the string module and re.
i was looking for advice on what would be the best way to pull a value
out of a small string.

for example, i have a string
$.+.09 JAR
   and all i want out of it is the +.09

likewise, i have
$-.04 TIN kt
  and all i want is the -.04

what would be my best bet here ?
do i need a full blown re comparison? 

thanks