I have just returned to the hobby after 30 plus years. Want to talk about changes....
The first thing I did was get a new radio set up 72MHz, nice computer job boy, beats what we used to have. Got a set of servos and receiver with it. this stuff is a lot lighter and smaller. I like to build as much as fly but I have to be honest I am not in love with the ARF's just two were enough to convince me that kits or scratch is the way to go. I have one plane I have been working on for two years now that will be ready this spring. And three scatch builts in line to follow a couple of Kit trainers I am building for my Wife and Daughter. I want them to have planes that will fly nice to learn on. There are a lot of kits and plans, out there want to build a B-17 look at the wingspan kit. Want A nice scale plane lots of plans an kitters out there just look them up on the web. Personaly I am getting into the new composite materials to enhance my balsa models. Next plane will be about 50/50 for the old to new materials, yes a lot of the old kit guys are gone but still a lot of choices if you want to build as opposed to the bricks they sell as ARF. Not to mention it is much easier to fix it when you built it in the first place....
And if anybody laughs at what you build, just tell them anybody can spend money.

Now don't get me wrong, ARfs are nice way to have a plane in the air fast, did it myself last vacation I had, was flying had a brain fade an went gopher (wood chucks we call them here) hunting with the girls Nextstar had a few days left with nothing easy to fly went and got an ARF trainer to play with as a fun fly, and to replace their trainer. Will teach me about doing aerobatics with someone elses plane. lol