wilson, which products did you use before? It would be helpful to hear them, as we can then try to think of any less-expensive versions of the same for you.
When it comes to beauty, I'm a fan of "spending where it counts". For instance, I would never buy an expensive cleanser as I don't see the difference from brand-to-brand. Sure, some might feel nicer than others, but it's on your face for such a short amount of time, so any fancy, "active" ingredients don't get much time to work on your skin, anyway. For me, the most important thing is that it cleans off the dirt and makeup from my face without stripping it of natural oils or irritating it. I use a Canadian product called Spectro Jel (drugstore) which I bring over suitcases of when I fly home. It's most similar to the US product Cetaphil, but more gel-like, and far superior, in my opinion (I've used both).
Treatments, or anything that you leave on your skin to "work", I think it's worth spending money on. I have a hunch that finding a good serum is going to be trickiest for you. Serums tend to be very high-end in themselves (as they contain lots of expensive essential oils and other fancy stuff), and it's actually pretty rare to find one in a lower-priced line. If a serum is a must, could you consider using your old one, and just scaling back your use of it? Even using something every other day can make a difference.
As for a moisturizer, what specifically are you looking for, a day lotion with SPF, or a night cream? Let us know and we'll try to help more!
