This hobby is cheap compared to a truly expensive hobby like trying to build a tournament deck for Magic.
Well, it might be the question how expensive you choose to make it.
I have always steered clear of trading cards because I loathed the business model from the very outset. It is a rip-off. Period.
I reckon that in the net pictures of the "ultra rare" and - incidentally - very useful cards exist. Instead of paying ridiculous prices for them, one could simply download the picture, print it, and put the printout into a protective sleeve if need be.
Costs you a few cents, issue solved, case closed.
Yeah, I know... It's not the
original card! (So what? You can build your deck and play with it without issue.) And only original cards are allowed in a tournament! (Uh-hum. Rip-off business model again. I'm outta here...)
The wall is in one's head. You can tear it down just like that.
von Marwitz