Yes, go to your local hobby shop and meet the man that you will be giving that $1500 a year to.

But seriously, you can plan on about a $300 to $400 initial investment for a radio, engine, and airplane.

It's not cheap, but remember, the engine and radio are re-useable. Airplanes are often categorized by their engine size. 20, 40, and 60 sizes are the most common for beginners. I would like to discourage you from starting with a 20 size plane because they are smaller and therefore more difficult to see. They can also be a little hairy. 60 size is nice, but will cost you a bit more both in initial cost and in the amount of fuel consumed. So if $$$ is a consideration, go with the 40 size. You will find that it is the most popular size, and once you have passed the trainer stage, there are literally thousands of 40 size models that you can step up into.