I don't think they're that expensive. You don't have to buy top art brands. Just go to a newsagent and buy them for like $1 each.
I don't really see the point of 6H, H, let alone 2H is hard enough. Softer pencils are much easier for beginners (from experience, anyway). Personally, I use a pacer, 2B, 6B and find that they more than cover for all my shades and lines.