My route was the Blade CX, then some flight sim and the Honey Bee FP (fixed pitch). The little FP helis are hard to fly but very durable, especially the main blades which just pop off when you wack the furniture.

After the FP I felt ready for the Trex but I made myself some large training gear first out of dowels and plastic golf balls.

A much cheaper route would be to do the sim and then the Trex as has been mentioned, but don't forget the training gear. Preventing those little tip-overs at first will keep you flying instead of repairing.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.