Set a limit on what you think you can afford and post it. That will help people make recommendations.

Also, even though you may not like the idea of a club, some of the best bargains can be had from people selling stuff. For example, lots of people try out R/C and decide they don't like it. Quite often when they decide to sell off their stuff, they turn to the club help them sell it. Also, R/C people are usually really interested in helping more people enjoy the hobby. If the club knows there's a newcomer who doesn't have much money, they'll usually bend over backward to get you enough stuff to get going. Look at the "pay it forward" thread for a perfect example of this.

For electrics, the GWS EStarter and Slowstick can be bought as a package for a pretty reasonable price. They're both small, but as long as you don't try to fly on windy days, they'll do fine. If you are in a windy area, you will want something larger.