TL;DR: contacts suck ass. You're better off just wearing glasses or getting an operation, although the first option is much less expensive.
Well, that's not strictly true. Glasses can be expensive, particularly if you're getting nice frames.
Not to mention, your eyesight will constantly change if you're short/long sighted. You're supposed to go in for regular annual checkups, or every couple of years, and you may find your prescription has changed.
I was diagnosed with being short sighted in 2009, and I've had several prescriptions. '09, '10, '11, '12 and '14.
Each time I've had to get new glasses at cost. If you're a child or teenager you'll need more changes in prescription and frames as your eyes change more when you're young and you can't just reuse frames since your head gets larger as you grow.
Then when you get older through life you might have more prescriptions, or purchase new glasses.
And if you drive then you'll need prescription sunglasses too.
And when you get to your 40s/50s onwards your eyes naturally deteriorate so you'll have to compensate for that too.
Glasses can be cheaper than corrective surgery as a one-time purchase, but eye-wear will cost you a lot throughout life. Surgery can be a better investment long turn.
It's less useful the older you are though, as you could get it later on in life to correct your long/short sightedness and then your eyes deteriorate from age anyway.