People will always come up with the money for something that is a priority for them. It's human nature. If they don't then it really isn't the priority, it is just a want. I came to understand this stark truth when I really thought about the implications that there are many thousands of people living on the street with no job, no roof over their head and don't know where their next meal is coming from, but they come up with $500 a week for drugs. Sure, it's an addiction but the addiction is the priority. They find the money one way or the other. When anyone says "I can't afford this or that" all it really means is that thing is not really the priority. That is not a bad thing. In many cases it just means your kids, spouse, mortgage, are a bigger priority than a new bow, or boat, or car, etc.
What we are really talking about here with custom bows is a want. Can you justify this want as a priority over other things, given a finite amount of income? This is where you get into the situation where something gets priced out of the market. Custom bowyers seem to be between a rock and a hard place.