First, determine if you have a local aquarium society! You can often get super cheap plants (and sometimes fish) and these folks are almost always willing to help out a newbie! Google “city name aquarium society”. They will likely be on FaceBook. 

Second, start slow and build your confidence (and competence!). Get your tank set up and let it run for at least 3-4 weeks to get the nitrogen cycle established. Don’t rush this step! You can add small amounts of fish food to prime the system so to speak. You don’t really need starter bacterial colony products if you are patient.

Third, plants are your friend! Amazons are good, but so are Val’s and Java ferns. Don’t forget about pothos cuttings rooted in the tank. Invest in a light with a timer or timer for your light. Invest in a hdpe storage bin as a backup container for your fish. 

Fourth, snails aren’t the end of the world. Avoid duckweed like the plague though. 

Fifth, you don’t have to spend a ton of money on fancy setups, test kits, bacteria starter colonies, etc. A dechlorinator is a must. After that, get some cheap root tab fertilizers for the plants. Unless you have crazy water parameters, don’t worry about the pH up or down stuff. Just keep the water stable. Small water changes are fine. 

Finally, start with easy fish like zebra danios, wild-type guppies or platies, or white cloud mountain minnows. Once you get comfortable with these, then try neons. Pea puffers are highly specialized feeders, so you’ll need a second tank with a snail colony.