Be a purist.

When it comes to buying cologne, it can be tough. What brand, what scent or persona you're looking to achieve from it or the season. All of this goes into account when choosing. Not to mention the price. We all want that disposable income to be able to buy any and all scents that our heart desires but most of us are dead ass broke half the time and the other half of the time we're buying drinks for the girl that will probably forget our name by next Tuesday.
So let's meet somewhere in the middle. There are particular ingredients in colognes and perfumes that send our senses a whirl, but then the top layer consists of things like lavender and buttercream. Things that really don't scream manly. So why not cut all those out.
Find which scent you like the most. Is it Vetiver, patchouli, tea tree, sandalwood? All these can be found in colognes made by such designers as Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, etc and you can just buy those oils. They can range from $10-$30 depending on what you choose, but it is a significant savings and a little dab will do you.
I myself use bergamot oil.
I use 3 drops. One on either side of my neck and a third on my wrists.
Seeing as it isn't diluted by alcohol the scent will last you the whole day without having to reapply. Perfect for the man on the go.
Put it on right when you get out of the shower. That way your pores are open and your skin will soak it all in and you're good to go.

Now sit back and wait to be complimented. Chances are you will be asked quite often what your cologne is and you will be able to respond with something that is uniquely your own.