saint its the best thing I ever picked up on, though it may take a while to get into, but for me I was incredibaly motivated from day one and spent 2 hours a day everyday until I could ollie (about 3 weeks time)

cheapest board you SHOULD buy is 120 complete from a local skate shop

DO NOT get walmart or bargain boards
If you get into customizing parts and all that my total board worth is probably 200 dollars

extra expensise are replacing broken parts (wheels flatspoting deck breaking shoes ripping which happens about every other month for me)
so yeah its an expensive sport in that sense but to me its far more then worth it as its my main pass time.