It depends on the composition of the sand ....
I had some play sand that was so fine that it compacted down hard as rock (within a month) ... I ended up digging up all of it & used it to build my patio since my kids couldn't dig through it. <I had a huge sand pit for them ... got 4 cu yards of the stuff!> Anyway, fine sand that compacts down tight isn't good for plants, and you risk anaerobic pockets developing due to lack of water circulation.
For my kid's sand pit, I eventually got some "Premium" play sand that was much better. <Still quite cheap ... about $20 a yard.>
The reason people use pool filter sand is that it is coarser (so won't compact down & clog the filter) & it is the ideal grit size for planted tank. You can try some HD play sand. It might be coarse enough to use. OTOH, they also sell PFS at about the same price (although it is available seasonally only.)
One thing about non lfs substrate is that it might alter your water parameters. If you have relatively hard water, that won't be an issue. However, some carbonatious sand may raise the GH/KH of soft water. Better to test a sample before you set up the tank.