I've only been reloading pistol rounds for a few years, but I certainly didn't get into it to save money. Well, sort of. I got into it when my dad got me into Black Powder Cased Rifle competitions in Arizona back in 2007. I shot an Uberti 1885 Winchester high wall clone and rules stipulated that you had to use black powder loads. You can't get those at Walmart, or even Sportsman's Warehouse. Those run about $2.50 a round with shipping, and I needed about 60 for each monthly match.
So once I got set up to load those, then I got a .45 Colt in 2013 and wanted to develop my own bear loads using cast bullets. So then I learn to cast. Loading pistol rounds is much easier and simpler than loading BP rounds using vegetable wads and brass drop tubes.
Then I got a 10mm and started loading for it, and then .40 S&W. I found my hand loads were far more accurate than factory loads, and I enjoy getting little groups.
I started shooting GSSF matches and got a 9mm. I spent hours working up a dozen or more loads and bench testing each load to determine which was the best blend of accuracy and recoil for match use. I discovered that my hand loads were only marginally more accurate than the Federal Brass 9mm from Walmart, so I gave up reloading for it.
But I had a decent supply of various bullets and cases, so when the virus hit and ammo started disappearing, I started stocking up on components for 9mm and .40 S&W.
I'm glad I did as I haven't seen 9mm on a store shelf for months. I have enough components to last a couple of years.
But I don't go into ammo threads and advocate that others reload. First, it creates more demand for components that are now already hard to come by. And second, it takes a lot of up front investment and months of learning and researching to get it down. By the time someone invests a few hundred dollars and all that time and energy, the crisis may be over and they are stuck with equipment they really don't enjoy using in the first place.
I like reloading and enjoy playing with different loads and components, but not everyone does, and I certainly don't judge anyone for not wanting to get into reloading. Actually, I prefer you don't.