I would suggest you join a club BEFORE you purchase. Many clubs have club trainers for use in basic flight training, and if they don't, most have members with something used to sell.

In my club, used trainers went for as little as $10 for the airframe and $25 for the used .40 sized LA engines once the fledgling pilot moved up. Some trainers went through several owners - planes didn't look so good but got the job done.

If your going to buy a radio (and stick with the hobby), I would suggest investing in a six channel computer radio. Again, these can be had used for less than $150 used (Check out eBay, swap meets and other sources). The Futaba 6XAs and others are just over $200 brand new ($229 for 6XAs on Tower, just checked). Of course non-computer radios are somewhat less. Don't forget frequency control - consider serously the channels all the other club members are on, then buy a channel which they are not. Also, the brand of radio you choose might be influenced by what the local club is flying - its nice to have local support.

Flight gear too (starters, field boxes, etc.) can be gotten cheap - Local club members, eBay, and don't overlook R/C swap meets.

MOST IMPORTANT - Find an instructor. I have heard of too many instances where the newbee destroyed plane, radio, and engine (not to mention the danger) because they though they could do it themselves (count my brother, who is a full-scale pilot who thought flying an R/C plane would be easier than his Cessna 210)