I cannot confirm the price, but I know how you feel on the buds. Some of mine were pushing, then the plant rejected them. On others, I thought they failed, but they are just now starting to push, when other UCR buds flushed ages ago.
I hope you can continue practicing grafting throughout the year and your success increases. I found that by pruning trouble (crossing) branches, and budding them elsewhere on the tree, I got some good practice in that led to more takes this year.
And sometimes the tree culls a graft, part of the experience.