Craig,
Budget isn't everything. I started on a minimal budget, and yeah, i did struggle at first, with repairs etc. but it gets easier. just make sure you spend the money in worthwhile places, then you will make more money to spend on things that werent quite essential the first time around. We all start somewhere.
If you want some advice on wordpress plugins and stuff, drop me an email. As for the theme, its a nightmare at first, scrolling through all those free/paid themes, but one will eventually jump out at you.