Woodworking is very flexible in how much you spend. Most of the expensive tools are time optimizations, you can get by just fine without them but it will be a bit slower.
Also, in woodworking you always want that one more tool.
Also, in woodworking you always want that one more tool.
There's been so many times I've had to saw say a meter of plywood, by the time I've gotten out the circular saw, plugged it in, taken the extra safety precautions such a power tool needs, sawed the wood, then spent more time afterwards cleaning up.
All to realize that I've spent maybe 5-10 minutes in total (almost entirely setup time) making a cut with a powertool I could have just made in 2-3 minutes max of very leisurely sawing with the handsaw I already had at hand right next to me
In those cases the circular saw has a better chance of delivering the goods. Of course it can also be a shortcut to the ER...
Saw, set of chisels, tape measure, good clawhammer, drillpress, drills, white glue, good set of screwdrivers.
Then some time and materials to bootstrap your way into making clamps, a workbench, miter box and so on and before you know it you have a working woodshop for relatively little money.