Well, there are many ways to go about starting a planted aquarium on the cheap. Search on local forums in your area for free or cheap deals on glass tanks and lighting, make sure the lighting are for planted tank, I generally stick to PL or T5 lighting to be on the safe side, I am cautious with the use of FL lighting even when the shops tell me otherwise.
You can also scout for second hand filters and used fertilisers and other stuff too, just be patient.
Second, go to your local yard to get river sand or dark colour pebbles (about 3mm to 5mm) and rocks. Do an acid test on the rock with vinegar to check it alkalinity, if it fizzles, it is too alkaline, get another.
Look for wood in the dry river beds, the more branches the better. At the same time, you can look for local aquatic plants in your local area or see if people are willing to offer free cuttings to you online.
You might want to get a black board for the back of your tank, non shiny ones are the preferred choice for beginners.
Lastly, read more on this forum and others to get an idea of a scape you want. I recommend focusing on one point of the tank as your focal point to keep your scape simple for a start.
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