It’s too bad Saleae prices are so high now. Their original models launched at a very affordable price point but that’s long gone.
In the past they’ve offered discounts to students and contractors if you know where to look and how to ask: https://blog.saleae.com/saleae-discounts/ If anyone is considering one, it’s worth a try to see if they still honor this.
The alternative logic analyzers mentioned in this article look interesting, but the software side leaves a lot to be desired. Some people get along okay with PulseView (or forks, like in this article) but I never enjoy using it.