Why once more we are starting here a general discussion of kits or scratch?
Our new member
@glockexe is completely new in shipmodeling, but interested in this hobby
Now he is looking around and try to find out, what is possible to get for 100 US$ range - Is it possible to start the hobby and to get a reasonable kit for this money.
And my comment is:
Yes it is possible to get into this hobby for this money.
If you add some additional money for some basic tools, which will be necessary. For scratch building you need usually much more tools, also some power tools, in which you have to "invest" for the future. So if you want to check out, if the hobby of ship modeling is something for you, look around for a nice kit, a ship in which you are interested.
Take a look
for example on the Occre kits, which are in this price range, or slightly over it:
ESSEX - Whaler known by the book and film about Moby Dick History mentioned by Occre: In November 1820, the sinking of the whaling ship Essex, along with the survival of part of her crew, thrilled and moved the US public. The year before she had set sail from Nantucket on a new whaling...
shipsofscale.com
There are also cheaper kits available, but like everywhere in life
You will get what you will pay for - means if the kit is cheaper, the ships are even smaller (reduced material quantities) or the material quality is lower.
Forget in moment the mentioned Ingermanland, which is a relatively complex kit
and definitely in another, much higher price range than your budget of 100 $