I can't afford to send my quilts out. Or if I did I couldn't afford fabric for as many quilts as I make. I started with SID and it was OK. Realized I didn't have to keep my stitches in the ditch and did some diagonal and fancy stitching with the walking foot. Moved on to FMQ using stencils. Learning to FMQ without stencils.
What I've learned: Every quilt calls for it's own method of quilting. Some need patterned quilting, and some call for SID. Sometimes quilting is to enhance, and sometimes it needs to hide and let the piecing be the showpiece.
Try it all. You'll find what you like. After all, it's not cocaine or alcohol, so this addiction won't kill you. It might make you go broke though.