Ye gods, how did I miss this thread? :O
My first fixed-blade outdoor knife was a *GASP* Bear Grylls Gerber. Still can't believe I paid *GASP* $60 for that piece of junk. I got tired of it pretty quick and upgraded to a Mora Companion heavy duty. What a world of difference - much better steel, more comfortable handle, not a "made in China" horror, and only $18 when I bought it 4 years ago. That was an excellent re-starter for me, and I still have it. About a year or two later, the Companion heavy duty started getting a lot of attention in the bushcraft community, with reviews popping up all over the place on the net; I have added my own review to the pot.
The Companion heavy duty is something I consider to be a great basis for someone fairly new to outdoor living/bushcrafting because it's an excellent all-around performer. It can be used for moderate batoning, skinning and butchering game, fire preparation, food preparation, wood carving, and even making cordage (such as using the spine to remove flaky outer bark from plants so that inner bark fibres can be made into cordage). Plus, the rather large handle is great for people with beefy hands who often struggle to find a knife that fits comfortably in their hand. It's also excellent in winter when you're wearing gloves or mittens, because the larger handle is much easier to control than a knife with a smaller handle. And if the knife breaks? Big deal, it's only $18
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Other Mora knives such as the Classic series are also fantastic, though those are a little more task-specific.
As far as a cheap pocket knife goes, something an ultralight backpacker or scout might carry, there's always the old stand-by of Victorinox and Wenger Swiss army knives. I have one myself, a Victorinox Huntsman. Alternatively, you could pick up a simple Opinel, which have become quite popular here in the States over the past few years. Svord peasant knives are also decent, though they may require a little fine tuning to even out the grind.
But don't be fooled into thinking that you "need" a fixed-blade knife for all things outdoor/bushcraft related. You can do A LOT with the humble pocket knife, and for most people, a folding knife is all they really need. As far as what you want, well,....that takes a different route. Some people struggle to find "the one" until they pay top dollar for a custom knife, whilst others are content with their production blades.
My favourite knife right now is a Martiini Arctic Circle puukko. It is budget-friendly at less than $50 (mine was $35 when I bought it two or three years ago), and a very nice start for someone who wants an authentic puukko. It might not have a thick tang for batoning, but I no longer use knives for batoning, and I've found that the puukko style suits my needs the best. I adore mine. It has been with me on many trips, always a reliable friend I can depend on. The blade is only 9 cm/3.5 inches, but that's the perfect size for what I need in a knife. And the thinner 2.5 mm blade with a high Scandinavian grind gives almost unrivaled slicing efficiency.
So yeah...it really depends on what you want in a knife. Ask yourself what you want to use the knife for, and use that answer as a guide.