Having to spend this kind of money means getting outside backing. Web companies are perceived as being well funded, so lots of companies offering web design are charging top dollar for less than perfect work. Choose carefully who you deal with and take up references. Study sites they have built for other people and give them a detailed specification to work to. People may just come to buy something, but the chances are they can buy whatever it is elsewhere.
Content is King.
This can be advice, a directory of useful links, free giveaways or a collection of articles on a particular subject. Make sure you have copyright on, or permission to use, any material you publish or you will soon find a lawyer on your tail. Money spent on content is never wasted. There are countless other sites out there who may want to buy some of your content to add to their own. This can become an important source of revenue, provided the other sites are not direct competitors.