OTOH I might find it hard to justify not having a meter for home use. I've always been extremely pleased with the Hanna pHep5, a pocket type meter at ~$100. With proper use and maintenance, the electrode can last well over 2 years, at which point it's another ~$50. Annually, I probably spend around $50 on maintenance solutions, not sure exactly. Anyway, given the number of samples I check (probably >200/year,) and assuming I'd pay around $38 plus tax and shipping for 100 ColorpHast strips, I figure I come out ahead. And the precision is much greater, which matters to me, though not to everyone. It all depends on what your requirements for precision are and how often you use it, but a reasonably priced meter -- not a cheap one, mind you -- may be a prudent choice, once you get past the initial investment. If your use is infrequent and casual, strips may be ok. I'll believe Sean's experience suggesting that a cheap meter is just throwing away money.
EDIT here's a link, I really do recommend this
https://hannainst.com/hi98128-phep-ph-tester.html