I agree, don't feel pressured to buy what you don't need, don't want, or can't readily afford.

Another option is you could buy from one of your favorite developers. There are a handful of games that I've purchased (sometimes for friends) simply because I've liked their game.

There are lists of DRM-free games you could get if you're concerned about Steam's platform or want to run them independent of platforms. Here's one such list from PCGamingWiki.com

Goddamnit Donut!