compare cost of retaining wall options

I've a few sections to discuss, but I'll reduce to just one to get an idea.
For a 40' section that will be max height of 2' I was mainly considering using landscape block for the longest time. But it's seems so expensive. Nearby Home depot has 2.97 for a 12"x10" block (their biggest). I've seen larger. Our local dunn lumber has a 8' x 6"x6" Juniper beam for retaining wall options at $34 per beam. Finally I called a Mill that's not exactly local but I can drive there in a day (gas cost). 6"x6" rough cut cedar for 2.10/lineal foot (can I safely assume that's 16.8 for an 8' board? )

At first glance it seems that the rough cut cedar will win for a 40' run, at 4 rows high. But I'm having trouble breaking down the potential overhead cost of the blocks. I even tried a little closer to apples to apples my shortening the run to 8' to just see straight up how much a 12"x10" block would cost. but it's still sounds fairly expensive.

for the rough cut - it seems that all I would need is 20 beams and a couple deadman beams. ~$400

for the block it looks like I'd need two runs with a 3rd being a cap. 3 total runs. SO let's say it's 3 runs at 2.97 per block. 30" high. 120 blocks total it seems and ~$356. Cheaper? really?

Wood will always be cheaper than blocks, but it won't last forever (which the blocks should if you build the wall properly) I think the best value in retaining wall materials is pressure treated lumber. It'll be a lot cheaper than the landscape blocks, and although it won't last forever, it'll last longer than untreated wood so I think the length of time before you have to replace it will make it your best bet (that's what I went with for my retaining walls)

I have to admit, for all the years I've been gardening, making beds and borders, my husband taking the booby prize of making steps and retaining walls etc, etc, there is no cheap way to do any hard landscaping of any kind.
What we have learned very quickly is if it's cheap, it wont last or stay looking good, whenever you begin to add up the costs as you draw up the list of requirements, you need a good stiff drink just to get to the bottom of list without falling over at the total price and usually the cost never included the work or payment for help if needed.

I always go by the view and experience that for hard landscaping, you will get what you pay for, if the materials are cheap, they wont last (my experience) and if they are too expensive, you have to ask yourself "Do I really need this" will it add value to our home way in the future, will it benefit us and make life easier and give the right appearance to the outside that merits going ahead. if the answers yes to a lot of these questions then you really do need the work done BUT, you need to do some more sourcing for the matériels and never be put off asking for a better price IF you pay cash, collect the goods and make it clear you are shopping around for the best possible price for matériels.

What you do REALLY need to do is draw a plan, study this to make sure you are dealing properly and safely with any drainage, water pipes, electric cables etc as IF you need to build over these, there is a chance later on you might have to get access to these again so be sure you make the project you are planning take all this into account or you will be even more out of pocket later on and your insurance might not cover you for burst pipes etc.

Don't be put off as any landscaping is quite a project and if you do it right, you will have many years of enjoyment from the work once done.
best of luck, WeeNel.