I enjoy some of my lower price knives more than knives that cost 2-3 times the price, I have never been taken down a route where I crave higher priced knives, I still buy knives in the 150+ range and the 20-40 price range. If I like a knife I will buy it regardless if it's cheap or expensive. I'm really not a knife snob. Obviously I have my limits though, I enjoy budget knives and by budget I mean well made knives at a low price point. I don't like cheap poorly made knives. I own a few cheap knives that are complete garbage and I hate them, like my schrade piece of crap which sounds like cats making love when you deploy the blade.
I actually just put in an order on Heinnie Haynes for 4 Hultafors 4 Moras and a RAT 1 in D2, with a combined price for around £120. Whcih means I just got 9 good knives for the price of 1 Spyderco Endura SS.
I love the fact that I can lay down £120 and get 9 decent knives. Of course I don't regret spending £120 on my SS Endura, Or £150 on my PM2 I picked up a Kizer Shamshir for £150 recently as well. I think for me personally I need to feel comfortable with damaging my knife because I don't baby any of them. I don't have safe queens if I can't use my knife as a tool I don't want it.
There are exceptions of course, I might buy a limited edition or anniversary collection knife with the intention of sitting on it for a few years and then sellign it later, or passing it on to somebody as a gift. Aside from those examples I don't like the idea of buying a knife for £1000, because I know I won't feel comfortable putting it to work and scuffing it up, I will end up babying it and treating it like an ornament left on a shelf.
I'm not rich, maybe if I was a rich man I would buy a Higo or limited edition WH as a beater and just knock it around with no concern for scuffing it up. I think I have made a subconscious decision in my own mind, that around 120-150 is where I feel comfortable using my knives and getting them dirty, going above 200-300-400+ I start to feel like maybe I shouldn't be scratching up these expensive tools.
I have no issue using my Endura SS as a beater, my Endura looks like it's been through a war zone and I paid £120 for it and that doesn't bother me. So I still buy knives that are considered cheap, and I think you can find some great knives for a good price, you don't have to spend £150 to get a good knife, The RAT1 in D2 is a good blade and it's cheap.
If you consider a £200 knife a budget knife, then you are a richer man than me lol.