I started about 6 weeks ago. Bought a new TI from AOS. Then I caught the bug. I have been buying old razors off eBay ever since, most for about $6-20, some of them with alot of blade left on them. I intend to restore them. So I bought a Norton 220/1000 and a 4000/8000 from SRD. I also have a Swaty I bought off the bay that is in excellent condition. I did my first hone of an old HMC cutlery blade today and got a great shave from it.
I also have a leather/canvas strop, and a strop I made myself from denim on a board, with some TI strop paste on it.
As to what you should buy I think it all depends on how involved you intend to get.
Everyone should have a leather/canvas strop for refreshing your edge every shave.
If you intend to refine your refreshment, without a true rehone, then get a fine stone, or a balsa strop with some paste.
If you want to rehone a good razor get the previously mentioned and a 4k/8k combo.
And if you are going to restore an oldy , get all of the aforementioned, and a 220/1000.

THis of course is just my opinion, take it FWIW. I am newbie, but this is how my thought process went, and it has worked well for me. YRMD