I think we all, as individuals, decide how far we want to go. Which correlates to how much we want to spend, either in regards time or money.
I don't chase meta. I'm f2p. The way I see it, for f2p players, chasing meta is next to impossible- once you actually get there, the meta will have changed.
I prefer setting myself a couple of targets and working towards them. See how well I do with the limited resources I'm prepared to invest. I won't "win". So I'll focus on having fun.