Many of my friends have a cupboard full of knives, one worse than the other. Don't be a cheapskate on the most important equipment. Not only it's annoying to work with a blunt knife, but it's very dangerous as well. A blunt knife forces you to use a lot of pressure while cutting. And that's the point where you start losing control over your actions.
Make sure
Chef's knife
A chef's knife is the the first knife you need to have. It's an absolute must-have. Good knives start at about 40-50 Euro, so in my opinion it's not even that expensive. With this knife you'll get done pretty much everything: chop herbs, cut meat, slice fruits, dice veggies...
Carving Knife
A carving knife is thinner as a chef's knife and is therefore perfect for carving thinner slices more precisely. Perfect for cutting thin slices of meat and veggies.