@erika
got a crummy old comp around the house?
i use one as a web and file server for a co. i work w/ and the domain is registered through dyndns.com, as I have a regular retail ISP that assigns dynamic IPs.
the IP you are assigned is technically dynamic in that your ISP has a ton of IPs to give out, and yours MIGHT change every once in awhile which will throw your domain (the "somethingsomething.com" part of your web address) off. Dyndns fixes this problem, you simply install the software and run it every once in awhile, to have it update their domain name server.
The fact is that unless you're planning on having tons of traffic, it is not very likely that you will even perceive a slowdown in your upstream. My "server" which is a 9 year old Dell dimension serves files for a medium sized company and acts as a media server for my house (mp3, mp4, avi, iptv, dvds, etc.).
Cheapest and easiest, self-reliant route.
Buy (or get the torrent for) any basic book on CSS and HTML, and you'll be set. If you want a site that looks great consistently, you'll want to create all elements on your site relative to one another. Also, it is best to design your site assuming a screen res. of 800X600 on the user end (don't worry, you'll know what that means on short order).
Then, once you've got a bare bones site up, buy (or get the torrent for) books on the Ruby programming language, and Rails implementation, the combo of which is often referred to as RoR. This will allow you to do cutting edge "Web 2.0" things on your site w/ absolute ease.
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If you're adventurous jump headfirst into Ruby and Rails (two days of studying and practice and you will be off like a race horse), then skip HTML and CSS altogether as they're dinosaurs already. Instead focus on HAML and SASS which are both easier to code, and provide functionality that rip HTML and CSS to shreds.
////////////////NOTE//////////////////////
Spend a week, maybe ten days learning these languages, and you'll be flipping out at the progs. and sites you can create in the blink of an eye.
So the steps
1) Cheap Azz Computer (If you don't have one handy, hit your nearest Goodwill Computer Werks, cost... maybe 100 bucks)
2) Get Server software (Slackware, or for absolute easy-breeze use go w/ Ubuntu Server... both free)
3) Study/Learn Ruby and Rails, HAML and SASS (or HTML/CSS), JAVA/ActionScript don't hurt
4) Download the Eclipse IDE for development (ease of use, extensibility, freeware)
5) Register domain with DynDNS.com
6) Pwn the Netz
7) Get elected
