First plane
AMA membership for an adult is $58 a year now. (They just changed the price due to the AMA's insurance premium doubling.... too many pay-outs on large claims.)
Club membership fees vary widely... In 1982 I declined to join a club that charged $350 / yr PLUS a $500 initiation fee. (Espensive lease for the club field... SF CA Bay area. I believe the club has since folded up, there's a shopping mall at thier old flying site now.) I know of clubs NOW charging as little as $5 a year, and some that do still charge some almost unbelieveable fees...
Check around for other clubs in the area... there might be a less expensive one.
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I and several local instructors, would help as much as possible, even if you showed up with one of the new Cox $29 1 ch eletric models. ( You just have to ask around...) How much help is possible is quite limited with some of the less expensive models.... IF they are warped, its nearly impossible to get them to fly decently.
Some Club instructors would gladly meet for assisting someone, outside of the club environment, with <$60 RTF models.... The risk of damage and injury with them is so low, that the AMA insurance being valid or not isn't worth worrying about.