really if you're new to cooking a $20 chef's knife (as long as its not a serrated piece of shit) from Tj Maxx will be literally no different to you than a $400 german or japanese knife.
Get yourself an inexpensive knife with a full tang that has good balance and couple $3 ikea polyethylene cutting board and slice away.
Victorinox +1, and get the steel as well to keep that fucker sharp
you could buy a new $20 every year for 15 years and still not come close to the price of a high-end knife. it's not about saving money - it's about wanting a finer instrument. Don't lie to yourself.
Gtfoh
>and produce anything other than a shit product
You can sharpen a $20 knife like a pro but it will never perform like a $100 knife.