Interesting question 2chappies... I suppose it's a question of how interested you are.
If I was doing a lot of knitting over winter it could cost as much.
It's a hobby and an interesting one from my point of view, but if you can't raise much information then I suppose it might not be worth it.
In my case I have a lot of rellies who have interesting histories, so I spend hours reading about them as well as chasing the next generation and I have gained a huge amount of information and hours of enjoyment.
The information is out there if others are also looking for some of the same people you are. Even if it takes a couple of years for a green leaf to show, sooner or later it will.
You can join Ancestry for a year and then leave it for a couple of years, just checking it out and seeing what's going on, then you can join for a short time to add to your tree.
It all depends on how interested you are and if you are looking for a hobby
🙂