There are ways around using the pro version. I recently installed the SketchUp plugin from this website: http://simonbeard.github.io/sketchup-svg-outline-plugin/
It allows you to export certain faces of objects to an SVG file. I think it might be even easier to use than the method I outlined, but you have less control over where you put your objects on the cut file, and you then have to do the optimization using InkScape (which I find less suited to that work).
I’ve not played with it enough to be able to do a tutorial on how to use it yet. I’ll try and play with it in the next few days (weeks), and once I figure out the best way to use it, I’ll make a new video on making the cut file (an alternative Step 4 in my series).