I tried to do things cheaply for my first grow (photo sensitives). Was reluctant to spend a lot of money without knowing if I could do this. It didn't turn out well. If you're facing the same choices, you'll never have an honest assessment of how you can grow without investing in good medium, nutes, ph pen, filtered water (if your tap water is too high in ppm, chlorine, etc.), lights.
These things aren't expensive:
1. Medium:
... Pro-Mix HP = $25
... Kellogg Patio Potting Mix = $6
... Bag of perlite = $10
2. Nutes:
... Grow More Sea Grow (All Purpose and Bloom) $15
... Grow More Hawaiin Bud/Bloom $8
... Epsom salt $1
3. PH
... pen = $10
... PH up/down = $20
... PPM meter = $10
4. Filtered water = 25 cents per gallon at your local dispenser.
Probably the most difficult expense was lighting. You can get by with CFL for cheap. But, a t5ho fixture could cost $150. An LED could be $200. If you can swing any of the above, you could get by ok with inexpensive CFL.
But, to the extent you don't buy into the above, the results are more luck than a representation of what you can expect if you get into growing.