Introduction

Yu-Gi-Oh can be quite an expensive game at times when it comes down to it. So playing on a budget feels like a daunting task. However, there are still ways to go toe to toe with the metagame without devastating your wallet.

Today we'll be looking over some nice, cheap spells that can pull their weight in a game-to-game basis against most decks. These all come in common! 

Budget Picks

Book of Moon

BoM is a classic card that had a ton of popularity in the earlier stages of the game. It was limited all the way up until early 2020, where it has had a bit of a resurgence.

Here are a few ways to use the book:

Going first, you can use it as a disruption tool to flip the opponent's key monster down. Face-down monsters can't go into Link, Xyz or Synchro plays.

Flipping Doki Doki or Adamancipator Seeker, for example, stops their effects from going off and cuts off Researcher access. Booking Salamangreat's NS works quite well too.

It's a decent proactive tool in this regard. But won't stop on summon effects though, so keep that in mind!

Going second, BoM acts as a nifty way to bait stuff from your opponent, making it easier to play around their board. It either forces a negate or flips something down.

Book's also good against floodgate monsters! Flipping down something equipped with Dragon Buster Destruction Sword saves you the trouble or something like El Shaddoll Winda that can't be destroyed. Lastly, it's nice against Eldlich, as flipping him in response to Conquistador or Huaquero means their effects won't apply.

Forbidden Chalice

Released in the middle of the 5Ds era, Chalice has always been a card of interest. It's a deceptively simple card that proves useful time and time again. And it has received several common printings to boot.

Here are some ways to make use of Forbidden Chalice:
Going first, it's a flexible weapon on hand that can negate key plays that works on Link monsters too. It has some niche uses in the Damage Step that can come up here and there.
As for going second, it forces out interruptions which makes it easier for you to play properly.  It has a slight upside on Impermanence in this regard, as you can use it from your hand even if you control other cards. Being able to handle cards like El Shaddoll Winda is a huge upside.

Most importantly, it can be used directly in response to high-priority threats like True King of All Calamities and Abyss Dweller! With the eventual release of the Numeron cards in Battles of Legend: Armageddon, Number S0: Utopic Zexal is another monster that Chalice can handle.

 

Cosmic Cyclone

CC is a powerful and versatile card for what it does. While Lightning Storm and Twin Twister remove more cards, its ability to banish the card it targeted is unlike any other.

This is important, as a good number of recent cards either have destruction protection or floating effects in the GY which makes it a lot less desirable to destroy them. A lot of popular archetypes can also recur these resources, but not if they're banished. 

Some ideas on what to do with CC:

Going first, you can use it to snipe out Field Spells like Lost World or Salamangreat Sanctuary to slow your opponent down.  Ridding the field of dangerous cards like Cursed Eldland, Multirole, or Block Dragon equipped via Union Carrier is also good.

Banishing sets in the opponent's End Phase is also a viable option to give some safety on your turn.

When going second, you can use it off to remove pesky floodgates, and to play around heavy S/T boards. It becomes a lot easier to dance around multiple backrow when Cosmic is in your hand. The card performs better against Solemn Judgment than compared to say Twin Twister too.

Whether you main it or side it, this quick-play is a reliable choice in most formats.

 

Mind Control

This is a pretty straightforward card that has quite the tale to tell. It was released early into the game's lifespan and only had modest success due to the limitations of the time.

However, as the game progressed its power grew and it quickly became a household name. The Link era gave it a new lease on life and it has been constantly moving around the Forbidden and Limited list, currently sitting at one copy per deck allowed.

How do we make the most of it?

Mind Control doesn't possess any application going first, but going second, on the other hand, the world is your oyster.

It threatens to either steal a piece of the opponent's board or eats negation. One of the biggest examples would be Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess, guaranteeing your turn's plays.

If not Apo, you can take an opponent's monster, use its effects if applicable, then link it away for further extensions. It may not win the game on its own, but it puts the opponent in an uneasy spot whether they negate it or not.

Conclusion

These are only a few of the notable spell techs that are quite good right now and will still be great moving forward! 
Called by the Grave is another strong card that comes in common, but it is rather pricey compared to the options here. 
Try these cards out and see if they work for you!