Yes, I get that I should contact the Cable Store, but they are incentivized to sell me expensive cables.
The used market is great for bargains but it requires knowing a bit about what will work for you (your gear & your ears). The Cable Company is another good resource for getting grounded in "cable lore". Contrary to your concern quoted above, I have not found them to promote cables that are way above my budget.
Just about all my conversations with Stephen at the Cable Company include him asking, early on, about associated gear and what I wanted to spend. He then makes a couple of suggestions in my price range. Will even tell me if something worth considering is available at Used Cable.com. Yes - he might suggest something that is just above my proposed spend, but not outrageously so. I’ve yet to encounter any strong-arm, pushy tactics with them.