I based this deck on Channel Fireball's Caleb Durward's take on the Modern Swans/Skred deck. His bid is definitely NOT budget, and I can't afford Soulfire Grand Master, Dragonlord Ojutai, Snapcaster Mage, Remand, Serum Visions, Vendilion Clique or Cryptic Command. I also can't afford the Fetchlands for the complicated 3 color mana base, so I've simplified mine to a 2-color with tapped fetching of the snow lands with Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse. This deck is meant to be played 1v1 in a casual environment. His deck is modern legal; mine is not - I went for flavor with lots of Ice Age & Coldsnap cards. The only card not legal in Modern is Portent, which is replacing Serum Visions in the original build. (Incinerate was released in 10th Edition). To make up for the fact that the spells I'm using are 2CMC rather than the 1CMC found in the original build, I'm using Goblin Electromancers.
This deck focuses on using Skred to hit Swans of Bryn Argoll and draw a ton of cards. Play a lot of instants and sorceries to chip away at your opponent with Guttersnipe & then sit in the graveyard buffing the Spellheart Chimera. As a finisher, you can drop Fireball or Temur Battle Rage on your Swans, doing 8 damage with trample, and possibly another 2 if Guttersnipe is on the field.
The deck is 61 cards, because I can't quite decide which last one to cut. I'll probably know better after playing with it for a while. I'm open to suggestions. I also still can't decide if I need some lifegain in this build...
I hope this will give you a different idea of Skred/Swans and encourage you to experiment, too. I can't wait to try this in my casual playgroup.
Note: the TCG Price does not include the snow-covered lands. Adding them brings the total to around $30, unless you already own them. And they're absolutely necessary for the Skred engine...
