Photographers are constantly faced with the advance of technology, and the pressure to upgrade their equipment for higher resolution, or greater magnification, or better results in low light conditions. Each such challenge is expensive to accomplish, and in many cases difficult or impossible to achieve. But let's be honest - this is the same battle that golfers, or fishermen, or computer gamers face in pursuing their passion. FOMO - the fear of missing out - motivates many enthusiasts to overextend themselves spending money they can't afford in many cases.
Early photographers were limited by the quality of film, but it didn't stop passionate hobbyists or dedicated professionals from making great images. When I started playing golf I had wooden heads on my drivers and still played reasonably well. It's not the equipment so much as it is the use of what you've got that makes the difference. In this regard, let's talk about what you can do to improve your photo experience without spending inordinate amounts of money.
First and foremost photography is about light. With today's digital cameras you honestly don't need a lot of light, but rather need to understand how to use what's available. 90% of your photos will be taken with some kind of lighting so you don't need expensive strobes if you learn to use what you've got. Sunlight reflecting off a wall makes for nice soft and flattering lighting conditions, or something as simple as a piece of foam core board to bounce the light back into your subject.
The "I need a bigger lens" complaint is real, but you will never overcome your internal need to reach out farther by buying expensive glass. Instead, just get closer! If you want to photograph birds then consider working around feeders, or with a pop-up blind so your movements don't startle the birds. You can get much closer than you think if you just sit still in a good spot.
The other simple thing you can do is to shoot on a tripod, which doesn't need to be expensive. The benefit of this is that you can take longer exposure photos without jitter or blur. Today's digital cameras can compensate for a lot but a slower shutter speed allows much more light to come into the sensor - resulting in better photos.
