Yup, you nailed it.

After you've purchased a couple of planes, you normally want to go with your own TX, ideally a computer controlled one...

If you hit the two planes mark, you are hooked and will likely only purchase more RC aircraft.

There-after you do not need to re-invest in more TX's when one good TX will serve all your needs for many years.

Bare that in mind... it is worth spending the money on a seemingly expensive TX, as it will pay for itself many times over.

If ever you leave the hobby ( fat chance! ) a decent TX is much easier to sell and more attractive to a buyer, so you are likely to recoup a large part of your expense too... just take good care of it.

I personally have several boxes of inexpensive TX's that came with RTF planes... I always think that I'll use them to give to a beginner on a foamy, etc... but I never get around to it...