My recommendation for new players and for budget players alike is to focus on the colours blue and green. They're very strong and the 'colour identity' of simic scales extremely well - get lands, play big things, win. Blue in particular seems to have the best 'second rate' - ie budget versions of - cards that still have high playability. For example, Stroke of Genius draws a ton of cards for like two bucks. But if thats too much for you, Ugin's Insight scrys and draws with an effect that scales in simic for 11 cents.
Black has a decent selection of second rate stuff. Red struggles at the best of times (and I'm a red fanboy saying that) and white in particular has the least number of good cards, and therefore the demand on those cards raises their price.
Black has a decent selection of second rate stuff. Red struggles at the best of times (and I'm a red fanboy saying that) and white in particular has the least number of good cards, and therefore the demand on those cards raises their price.
Going Blue+Green commanders by price on Scryfall brings up Roon of the Hidden Realm, Tuvasa the Sunlit, Vorel of the Hull CLade, Intet the Dreamer, Edric, Spymaster of Trest, Rashmi, Eternities Crafter, as immediate budget options that I've seen working well both in general focused and general "blue/green good stuff" builds.