I have found the best way to enjoy Apple hardware without the sticker shock is to just go ahead and buy used Macs from vendors such as OWComputing (macsales.com

I have found the best way to enjoy Apple hardware without the sticker shock is to just go ahead and buy used Macs from vendors such as OWComputing (macsales.com) or macofalltrades.com. The hardware is rock solid even if it is 3 or 4 years old and the software is upgradeable. And I know I will be able to use it for another 5 years without too much hassle. My casual computing needs do not include high end gaming or deep learning using the latest GPUs. I don't need anything more powerful to browse the internet, check my email and some casual document editing. This is what my family also does 90% of the time. Sometimes it is cheaper to just change the timing belt on your car rather than leasing/buying the next latest/shiniest new thing.