All good advice. I'm a newbie myself, so I'd recommend spending as much as you can up to about $150 for a new razor or go the classifieds route as recommended. The newer, the longer it'll last. Don't forget to avoid cheating yourself out of a good shave by buying an inferior cream/soap and brush. You don't need to spend a lot, just make sure you get a soap which makes a good lather and a brush which holds water well. A strop which will do you well is the filly or even a Dovo strop. You'll probably nick it a lot for a while, so I would strongly advise against a pricey model for now.

Good luck finding something which works for you! I use a 6/8" Dovo, a short Dovo strop and a Palmolive shave stick (available for no more than a quid here).