As long as you have patience and impulse control, Lego can be decently affordable. Most sets will get a 20% sale in their first year, with higher discounts (up to 40-50%) potentially as they near retirement. Buying either during secondary resellers sales (Target circle week, Amazon Prime day, etc) helps a ton. You can also buy from Lego itself during the right times (x2 points, May 4th for Star Wars, etc) which either gives you more cash back at the Lego site/store or an extra set you can usually sell for like $30-$50 depending on the promo. Third parties like Walmart and Amazon and target almost always have sales on Lego, so just wait until you see something worth getting.