I went for binoculars first because that was what many people suggested for a beginner. I went for some 15x70's and a tripod to mount them on.
However, I have to say, I did not use them much, in the end - especially compared to how much I've used the telescope since I bought it (factoring in the weather).
The reason for this was that binoculars, for me, resulted in some painful neckstrain due to having to look upwards all the time. With a diagonal for the scope, I'm looking downwards so it has never been a problem. I can understand why people often recommend binoculars, and I was surprised by how much I could see, but I encountered a problem that resulted in me not using them. If I'd not been super-keen, I could have chucked the hobby in right there.
Thankfully I didn't
