$3k would still buy a very large physical collection. Most people didn't have that kind of money into a physical collection back in the day.
Vinyl prices are a joke, but CDs are often cheaper than a digital download if bought new and they are easy to find for $1-2 used.
It's kind of amazing you're OK having spent $3k renting music but think the only option would be to go back to piracy if streaming rental isn't available.