a poor experience with a provider, or a really satisfying auto-erotic experience?

I'd rather have a root canal than a poor experience with a provider.

the pragmatic sense and fiscal prudence of auto-erotica.

Bad appointments happen. I guess you have to weigh the price you paid and exactly HOW bad it was and compare it to a night of chokin' your chicken'-which is always free.
I have been struck by buyers remorse a few times after a less-than-stellar date left the room. Still, a naked woman in my bed is almost always better than my left hand and a porn down-load.

While it' extremely easy to get caught with a string of fakers and takers, I'd tell you to opt for better research and more planning. It's 50-50 with any provider, anytime you go out or order in, but that's life too... You lessen that by finding ladies who genuinely love to fuck and find ways to get past what they may dislike about you and you have to do the same even when it's your A-game that is not in the room (we've all been there). Poor providers won't last... Boards such as TER usually root out the bad ones from those of us who care to read and worse, they will usually get caught with ripping off the wrong guy and sometimes there's police tape involved ('nuff said). As for porn, it's fun to watch with a lady and maybe between sessions as a thought starter LOL, but as a regular stimulant to a chain pull? No, I will take matters along to a pitiful end and go to sleep.