Hi Alan
You are at the start of a very dangerous slope. Turn away now!
When I was young and starting work, my dad gave me a bit of advice. Buy one tool every week. It doesn't matter whether it is a tablesaw or a carpenter's pencil, buy one tool a week. Now in those days there were plenty of tool shops and dad was paid weekly, so it made sense. Perhaps a little less so now. But the principle applies, decide on what you need and build up your kit regularly from that list.
For advice on exactly what to buy, that is a bit more difficult, as it depends on what you want to make, but whatever you buy, buy the best you can afford. There is something intrinsically wonderful about handling a well-made tool and you will get better results more quickly too. Learn how to sharpen your edges. Practice sawing to a line. See how thin you can make a shaving. All these are basic skill which will make your woodwork more enjoyable.
FWIW my starter kit would be:
Workmate
Combination square
Marking knife
Hardpoint saw and tenon saw, or a pair of Japanese saws
Combi Japanese water stone
Small but good quality set of chisels
No 5 plane
Other suggestions, guys?
S
PS You might find John Brown's "The Anarchist Woodworker" a good primer on kit.
