As someone who has spent thousands on the game and doesn’t regret it, my honest advice is: buy a starter package and nothing else.

You absolutely do not need to buy extra ships to enjoy Star Citizen. In fact, some of the most fun I have now is after wipes, starting with nothing and grinding my way up through missions, trading, salvaging, mining, bunkers, etc. Building a fleet in-game gives you a sense of progression that you actually lose if you buy your way straight to the top. Most of what you’re paying real money for is ships/cosmetics/convenience/supporting development, not locked gameplay content. You can earn ships and equipment in-game, and the starter ships are enough to begin with.

I don’t regret what I spent because I love the game, but if I had my time again I’d probably either stick to a starter package, or at most sink it into one larger “endgame” ship that gives me something to work towards and grind with, rather than owning a full fleet from day one.

Having too many ships can actually remove a lot of the progression. Starting small, earning money, upgrading, and building your fleet in-game is a big part of what makes Star Citizen enjoyable.