Your take isn't quite right. Debt is only worth having when the long term payments are less than the long term value. Value is not just money, but don't lose sight of money. Dept is automatically paid off when you die, which is sometimes a consideration though only rarely. However in between the question is what could you do with the money going to payments instead.

Buying a house - most of your payment would go into rent anyway and you have to live someplace. As a general rule of thumb if you will live in the same place for at least 7 years buying is better, but YMMV. When the house is paid off you live there rent free.

Buying something for your business - check with an accountant, but you should be able to make enough money with it to pay it off and make a nice income.

Buying collectable art. I'm not against it, but it is common for art values to collapse as what is "in" changes. It is also common for tastes to change. Thus not a thing even if you can afford the payments.

Inflation devalues debt relative to most growth assets tbh