Totally get you — we’re a small engineering team and ran into the same issue. What really helped us was switching to verified pre-owned licenses. It's fully legal in the EU and can save you a ton compared to buying new. We found a great source that specializes in
budget CAD solutions for professionals — real software, proper documentation, and great support. We picked up AutoCAD and Inventor licenses at a fraction of the usual cost. Honestly, it’s been a game changer for our overhead.