Best budget inshore rod/reel combo?

Shakespeare GX2 rod
Okuma Ceymar spinning reel

If you're leaving this in a work truck 24/7 then this will serve you well. Probably around $100 together

For ~$100, I'd go with a lower end Shimano (Sedona/Sahara) and a cheap rod from academy.

Do.you live close to Alexandria ?

I would strongly recommend against any combos under around $100 for saltwater use. That cheap is fine for freshwater, but especially a 'truck" combo that you may not rinse off right away you need to be somewhat decent. Those super cheap reels and rods will rust immediately otherwise. One of the things I've done is keep a spray bottle of tap water in your truck and spray your rig off.

I'd suggest a 2 piece rod for this, break it down and easier to store.

I'd also suggest something smaller then a 3000 personally. Get a 2000 or 2500. With braid its still big enough to handle a decent bull red but if you are casting lures all day that 3000 will get old quick.

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lews spinning combos from Academy

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Lew's spinning and bait casting combo's are some of the best priced combo's you can get...

I have several Daiwa BG reels, they are really really nice for the money.

A sienna or cheaper Daiwa/Penn will work but you just hit a really good value proposition if you can go with a $12 rod from academy or Walmart. I give the kids those cheap rods and they work fine, I am not giving them a $100+ rod and honestly they are surprisingly sensitive for the money, they are still graphite rods so it isn't too surprising.

Can't go wrong with daiwa or shimano for reels, my opinion in order
1. Shimano nasci fc $100
2. Daiwa BG $120
3. Daiwa legalis lt $70
Rods (6'6 or 7' med)
1. Faclon coastal xg $100
2. Tfo professional $100
3. Berkley lightning rod $50

To each his own but my experience has been very different. I fish pretty much exclusively saltwater and have 4 lews combos that are 3 years old and work as well as day one. I fish at leat 3 days a month and during the summer damn near daily. I do wash my gear off after but the Lews and kastking set ups i have fared as well as the shimanos that we also use. My kids use both set ups as do I. It’s first come first served in my boat. For a purely recreational truck setup, there’s plenty to be had less than $100. The two piece rod is a great idea though. My philosophy has always been that I won’t keep a reel for 10 plus years for a litany of reasons like losing one out of a rod holder etc. so I may as well make my cost of replacement as low as possible without sacrificing utility. Wash em off and extend the life….or dont and drop another $60.

for a prebuilt combo, i'd go with a 2500 Penn Battle combo. If you want to build a combo, i'd go with a Daiwa BG2500 and then pick a rod you like to go with it.