And for TV we had reruns either on primary channels or for older content on the various basic cable “syndication” channels.
When it gets really expensive is when you have kids at which point Disney+ which is £7.99 pays for itself in about a day.
DVDs of new movies are £10-15 in the UK still, shows are much more than that if they even get a DVD or a non-digital release to begin with.
Unless your content consumption is low it’s going to cost many multiples than what even paying for 2-3 streaming services does per year.
You're right, the newer stuff is difficult if not impossible to get a physical copy of. I just don't bother. I go see a movie in theaters every now and again but I'm 500% done with modern streaming platforms.
When you are looking to get content for children it becomes even harder and more expensive.
On the prior point of is it affordable, local storage is not just affordable, but is now cheaper than a subscription.