I'm a teen that isn't allowed to get any allowance whatsoever, and my parents are only willing to spend 1-5 bucks on music a month if I ask.
Downloading is really my only option

It's free, and all I have to be really careful of if it's a genuine file (if they're really FLAC and shizz).
There's something about buying CD's that give give a real sense of ownership though, I would think.