Welcome to our forum.
I agree with the general sentiment here, but it's not all doom and gloom. If you truly don't want to or can't spend full price on a spa, I'd look for a quality brand (used) on Craigslist in your local area, there are some great deals to be had there. I'd also visit your local dealers and see if they have used models that they sell at a discount. But in general, my advice would be to stay away from the "crate" tubs and buy Hotsprings, Jacuzzi, Dimension 1, etc., however you need to do that to get in your price range.