Hardened valve seats - do they really matter?

Ill just say that when getting the head done price it out. I don't think any of it is cheap not in my experience. But other parts of the country prices my vary. In my case I am a weekend cruiser not a racer,i have 3 sets of heads 2 J one X 340 etc. If I were to sink valves Id toss another set of heads on I have enough engines and heads to last my life out. Throwing blanket statements like "all heads need hardened seats " and "when you get on it youll sink the valves?" well if I was racing id have the hardened seats most likely set into aluminum heads...