hi yall here's the cheapest way to start - $40 - and you'll get truly sticky dank in about 8-12 weeks. go to a thrift shop and pick up 3 old table lamps (bout $5 ea if that). make sure they can hold up to 85 watt bulb (100 watt is even better tho). take em home and break the glass so all you have now is the light bulb holder, the switch, and a nice long cord. drape the cords over a closet bar in your closet, plug the outlets into xtension cord, plug xtension cord into timer on your wall so lites stay on 17 hours per day to start for those first 4-6 weeks, then switch to 12 hours per day to flower for your last 6 weeks. put THESE BULBS into your 3 lamp holders: SUPER CHEAP! $12 for 85 watt CFL (equivalent of 400 watt incandescent!). This is a clearance so buy before they run out. that 5500K is about as near perfect as you can find anywhere, having both the red and blue ends of spectrum fully covered (its daylight to your hungry lil plants). BEST OF ALL, www.electrical-supply.net ships QUICKLY (they are in chicago) and they are NOT a hydroponics place - just an electrical supply place - so you can buy all your lights there and nobody can ever tie it back to your credit card. that rocks!! you do not want to buy online from any hydroponics place with your cred card - duh. plus i find these guys have the best deals on CFLs, much cheaper than lowes/HD and much BIGGER wattage (you can get 100 watt cfl's here - just 1 would light up your whole basement for miles - lol!). so for a grand total of about $40 for your entire light setup, you'll be good to go! perfect if yer just growing for fun / personal use. it wont be too hot (cfl's are cool bulbs) but make sure you stick a fan in there too so your plants think the are in a jungle with a breeze blowing you'll be lighting up in no time!! happy growing green goddess