Proper (or adjustable) dumbells, a bar, and a bench really hit the majority IMO. You just learn to use gravity to your advantage. It's not AS good but to get started man, you can get so far. I think I'm finally at the point I'd like some equipment to target some places, but I needed to come a long way first. And it's mostly because I'm at higher weights than I feel comfortable doing with a shoddy setup. 

If you buy new (Core Home Fitness) everything is "okay" quality imo, for the nicer stuff, you're looking at like $500 shipped if you don't get a deal on brand new stuff. Although if you go adjustable dumbells, you're a male with a target weight over 180lbs lean, you need more than 50lbs on a dumbell. So you can get them now, and pick up some 60lb+ single dumbells later, but find a kit that has at least 80lbs. I doubled my lifting weight in about 3.5 months with daily workouts in nearly every muscle group.