I don't want to justify spending less or anything, but wouldn't starting with a killer ship sorta ruin the whole "scrape your peanuts together to get the better stuff" aspect?
Not necessarily. Beauty of Star Citizen is that it's largely skill-based, and there's something to do for everyone. There isn't a single linear path where you can say one ship is "better" all around. An upgraded Aurora ES could be quite effective if exploration is your primary goal. For trade or dogfighting not so much.
I've never really liked the "scrape your peanuts together to get the better stuff aspect" as that usually translates into "grind", which I despise. I don't want to be collecting peanuts for weeks or months and only then finally be able to play the game as I like. I want a ship commensurate to my play-style from the get-go. Plus I want the game to be the best that it can be, which means giving it as much money as I can.
That said I am financially constrained in terms of disposable income, so in all likelihood my Aurora LN will have to do.

I was planning to make exploration my initial livelihood, and the LN gives me that plus enough firepower to make low-level pirates think twice. Eventually I imagine I'll upgrade to an Avenger or Hornet in-game and become a mercenary. Maybe a freelancer or cutlass.