Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but having just got back in the game and having a similar idea about starting cheap and making my way up, I've been very impressed with Arko. That surely has to be right at the top price/performance ratio. Sure the scent isn't for everyone but for sheer performance - wow. sticks are about £1 each when brought in small packs.
I actually started with Proraso Red and whilst I love that scent, arko is far superior in terms of performance in my humble opinion. And I've been waiting for the right time to use.....YMMV