A breadboard, point to point or even home edged PCB's is really a joy to make and lol inside a box is it not even visible for anybody if you stopped there. :-)
But nothing compares to a well-designed PCB you have got made, got soldered and is just working.
I think if one as a hobbyist is considering if buy or DIY is cheapest, even up to $100 is that person forgetting it will always be cheaper to buy. If DIY, do you have to calculate in all your gear, time, components, board production, consumables, electricity, space you pay rent for and a lot more. Electronic one offs at home can always only remain an expense, just like painting, sowing, photography and all these hobbies.
My concern about the MCU may be due to seeing woodworking change so much and the hobby going from an art in manual skills to 3D drawing and "push print"
In the start did you have to know how a saw works, keep your hand plane chisels sharp, later did the bandsaw, table saw and surface planer and made everything easier. After that did the CNC arrive and everything changed to sitting behind a monitor, drawing in 3D and get the computer to cut it for you.
MCU is also behind the monitor and press upload.
Knitting can be done behind a monitor, woodworking, electronic, sculpturing and a lot more, it just takes something away, do I think. :-)