Even though Ive probably spent about a thousand bucks by now I do not regret it. It's an incredibly fun hobby and owning that foil Mindslaver and playset of Snapcaster Mages just feels much cooler than playing my friends' yanky saproling deck. Plus, the grand prixes I've played in were cantastic fun and that wouldn't have been possible with a casual deck, and I've made a ton of friends at Friday Night Magic.
Finally, if you buy singles instead of packs most cards hold their value so it's more an investment than a purchase