Personally, I’d avoid any pole which says it "slots together", I’ve heard tales of people who have had their skin pinched and scratched by these types of joins.

As for the Carmen Electra pole, I know a girl on another forum who got given one and it took her 10 minutes to break it. I know it’s really tempting to go for the cheap option, I was myself when I first started learning but now I’m really glad I waited and saved up for an X-pole. For one thing, I know it’s completely safe and I can trust it when upside down.

After all, I know you said you’re a beginner now, but soon you’ll be progressing and wanting to go onto more difficult spins and start working on inverts, and for that you’ll want a safer pole, like an X. So really it’s best to save up and go for quality rather than paying out for a cheap pole then having to buy another pole later. I can sympathise, especially as I’m a student currently (and was when I was having to save up to buy my X), it does seem like a big dent in the old bank account but it is 100% worth it.

Also X-poles really hold their value, so if for any reason in the future you didn’t want to pole anymore then you can sell it.