I agree with most of what Scott posted in the OP. My card budget is what I can sell. But even on that budget I can collect most anything except a handful of postwar cards. In the last year I've acquired all of these:
I am very pleased with all of them. It is fun to have them and not worry about pops and auctions.
The key is
fun: some folks need to pull the sticks out of their keisters and try to have some fun with card collecting. I've even gotten into some modern stuff. There are great cards of great players from the last 30 years that cost less than a visit to Mickey D's.
PS: Scott, Al, I miss him too...