I have been a musician/teacher for many years and I play several instruments. However, my drum career started with just a toy drum, no snares. I soon added a cymbal (smaller than most high-hats) balanced on the post of the wooden chair my drum was sitting on. I was so eager to play drums that the equipment did not matter at first. From this, learn that your enthusiasm will take you far in any endeavor. I start many students with just a snare drum.
After "sitting in", talking and listening to many drummers I knew I needed a high-hat soon. The kick drum usually echoes and reinforces what the bassist is doing, so that was not important in the beginning.
Your basic "learner" kit only needs a high-hat, a snare, a bass drum and, if you can afford it, a ride cymbal. You can get far with just that equipment and, in truth, that's enough for you to handle as a beginner. After I demonstrated to my father that I could actually play a little, he agreed to buy me a set. I got a Sonar kit with just the snare, bass with 1 mounted tom, and a high hat. A while after that, I was able to buy a couple of used ride cymbals. I worked many gigs with that set-up until parts of it were stolen from a locked closet where I was working.
After I had played a year or two, I knew what equipment I wanted and I knew what I wanted the cymbals to sound like. (The first used ones I had were just HEAVY discs of metal with HEAVY, unwanted overtones, but I didn't know any better then!) This is the thing-- you won't know what equipment you want until you learn to play music.
Now, as to buying equipment.... I recommend buying USED drum kits. (After you learn how to control a kit and learn what kind of sound you want, you might earn enough through your playing to buy a new kit.) To buy a used kit, it is better to know what you are doing, so at least seek guidance from a drummer. Most name-brand equipment is well-made and difficult to damage. You might, as I did when I bought my second drum kit, find a young guy (person) from a wealthy family whose parents bought him a nice set because he wanted to play drums-- but then he lost interest. You can find a used set that is still practically new! My third set (because I was gigging in two places by then and needed another set) was bought from a young lady in a similar situation. Needless to say I got bargains both times and, many years later, I am still working with that first used set of Rodgers drums. I was able to sell the set bought from the girl to a student years later after the need for a second set dissipated.
That said, I have found some new kits online at a reasonable price for students who could afford them. Drums in the Wind at http://www.wwbw.com/Drums---Percussion.wwbw has several excellent buys and I can recommend the company, but there are other sites.