Hello, and welcome.

I am by far and a way not a PIC pro like some of these fine ladies and gentleman here, but I can say that this "hobby" is highly rewarding, especially with the assistance of the folks here.
Certainly not to be taken as a smart-**s answer to your question, I started, and continue to use a simple breadboard. It has served me pretty well in my projects, and they're cheap too . I am sure they're not quite as "cool" as a pre-built board, but heck, they work.

Good luck, and happy coding,
C