Seed-starting kits are a convenience that are worth the cost. You can also save the flats from bedding plants you purchase this year, too, for use the next growing season. Containers for transplanting seedlings can be expensive. I save money on this expense by asking my gardening friends to save the plastic containers their nursery plants came in, for use the following year. However, they are invaluable when starting plants that do not transplant well.
Lights are essential.
Be sure to buy full-spectrum bulbs for best results. Some beginning growers try to make due with table lamps and fluorescent bulbs, but these just don't provide enough light to supply your plants' needs. Space Try a dry run before you buy supplies. Measure out the amount of space your flats and lights will require. Remember that you must have a way to suspend the lights over the plants and be able to adjust them as the plants grow taller.