Crayon, first I will give you a bit of information: Carbon blades, forget about them for now! If you are on the newer side of playing higher level table tennis, then you want ALL WOOD. An all wood blade helps you feel the ball better. If you get the right all wood blade you get better feel, dwell time and as a result, better spin.
A carbon blade is good for someone who is already at an elite level: 2200+ (USATT rating). By that time your technique is good enough to utilize the positive benefits of carbon without being hindered by the negative effects.
The reason someone below about 2200 level would be better off with all wood is this: carbon blocks feeling and that slows your ability to improve your technique in how you contact the ball, how you touch the ball.
A carbon blade will make good contact and bad contact feel the same. You will get good shots from bad contact and you will get good shots from good contact. So you won't realize which is which. And that will slow your ability to reach a true higher level.
An all wood blade, you will feel when your contact is good and when you really spin the ball well and it will feel GOOD. And when your contact is not as good, your shot will not be quite as good, but, more importantly, it will not feel anywhere near as good. So, without you even thinking or realizing it, you will end up improving your contact and your strokes because your blade is giving you the information of when you do something better and when you do something not as well.
Usually, when someone is around 2200 level, their technique is good enough to use wood or carbon. Some players there technique is good enough at around 2000. But most players at 2000 still have issues in their technique that need to be refined. So all wood is usually better.
Now, for your issue of needing something at a reasonable price. Something that is good but is inexpensive. The first thing I would say is, coming with us to Lily Yip's TTC would have, in the end helped you learn more than you can imagine and, in the long run, saved you a lot of money.
But here is something that can save you a lot of money too:
This blade should cost $30.00 + $5.00 shipping. That is $35.00 total. You could even order 2, the shipping would still be $5.00 so you would have a backup blade too for $65.00.
Go to colestt.com
Go to the link that says: Combos
http://colestt.com/combos.php
For the blade choose:
Galaxy 896 blade.
For rubbers choose:
Dawei 2008XP
There are rubbers that are about as good. There are ones that might be a little better that cost significantly more. But that is a great combination and you can't get anything for less that will be even close to as good. There are many setups that cost over $100.00 that are not as good.
That is what I would do, if I was you and I wanted a good racket and I was on a budget like yours.
Sent from Deep Space by Abacus