I’ve always bought my games on steam or OFFICIAL key resellers (GMG) since I was an adult, but sometimes it has got really expensive.
Do you consider ‘cracked games’ safe for your PC, your data, and finally your privacy?
You should always support developers, but it’s not always possible.
Have a dedicated gaming pc that you never login to any of your real accounts with. Keep it off the network you use with the rest of your machines. Install windows and all the legit software you need. Create an image of your disk. Install pirated games and play them. Every so often wipe your disk and reset to your image.