The best part about this hobby, after great beer, is the DIY aspect. I love building and tinkering, solving problems, figuring something out. Frugality is part of the challenge. I don't think I could be happy with an all-in-one turn-key system. Ironic twist, I'm sure I've spent more over the years compared to just investing in a GrainFather or similar.
I tend to think the way you do. I tinker with everything and probably spend more, but it is fun to do and it keeps me out of the house. LOL.
I'm exactly the opposite. I hate building equipment. I'd rather be using that time to brew.