I purchased an original IBM XT computer with EGa monitor ,
2 360kb diskette drives and 32kb of memory for over $3000 in the early 1980's

The first IBM PS2 model 80 386 computer listed for around $8,000 in 1987.

My pro-2005 Radio Shack Scanner cost about $300 around 1989

My Uniden 796D scanner went for a bit over $500 the beginning of this year.

Get what you can afford to enjoy and don't look back.

Steve