With a CGM you always can know what your instantaneous, average and trending blood glucose readings are. With a test-strip you know your instantaneous reading are. With a test strip, a pad of paper, a calculator, a calendar, a watch, and a good enough memory to take reading 100+ times a day you can get the same results.

With the test strips, I measured myself AT MOST, 7 times a day. Often just once or twice.

THAT is what makes them worthwhile. It keeps measuring so you don't have to.

One helpful thing that I don't worry about: Low blood sugar alarms. Hypoglycemia is a real concern, and just as serious as hyperglycemia. A CGM will alter you when your sugar gets too high OR too low.

I'm poor. I can't afford a CGM anymore. So I have been going months now without measuring. Because I keep forgetting. A CGM doesn't have that limitation.

I was really hoping that Apple was going to announce a CGM. I avoid the Apple ecosystem, but I would have invested in that.