[Closed] Upgrade/replace decision crossroads type scenario hell

My 2003 Trek 4300 has done me well over the years but it's starting to suffer. Various bits are seizing up and generally need a bit more than the maintenance they've had so far. The kind of use it gets has made me realise I only really use the inner ring. For the last few weeks my thought processes have been like this:

1) keep bike and convert to SS 1x8 by taking off outer and inner chainrings (but I can't do that because the cranks are riveted)
2) buy a new 1x10 / 1x9 drivetrain (forget that, it's too expensive)
3) replace the 24/34/32 crankset with a new one, then remove the outer and inner chainrings, keeping the inner one (the only 3x9 crankset I can find at a price I like has a 32 middle, and I'm used to a 34t - wonder how different it will be?)
4) as above but replace all the chainrings with a 34t ss one (the price is mounting up for all this)
5) so I need a rear derailly-thing with a clutch? OK. But they're only available for 1x10 set-ups?
6) at this point I go into meltdown having visited far too many forums and bike shop websites and revert to thinking that the best course of action is to whack on some more lube and carry on riding the thing until it actually falls apart.

As far as I can see the only way to avoid this is to buy a new bike every two years. I would take it to my LBS but I know they would just look at me, say "what do you want to do that for?" (which is what usually happens whenever I ask anyone in any field with any expertise about anything, but which is preferable to them saying "of course we can do that. That will be £300/£3000/£30,000 please."

Anyone else go through this torturous process or is it just me? I need to know (preferably with examples) so I can feel better about the hours I've spent on it.