If you're starting out growing the cheapest seeds are bagseed. Don't spend a dime on seeds until you've got a grow or two under your belt. Hopefully you've saved some seeds from some buds you've gotten in the past. If not, perhaps ask a friend. Most stoners have a small seed collection (some have much larger ones... hehe)

As far as steps to take before growing, thats a pretty big question, and the only answer I can provide is to start doing some research. Browse through growlogs on this forum and others, read a few websites, until you find a situation similar to yours. Chances are, no matter how you plan to grow, someone else has done it before. Read up on their experiences and learn from their mistakes. You'll find some excellent ideas of how to set up your growspace in the growlogs.

After your grow you'll have to dry your harvest, but first things first... learn about growing first, and if you make it to harvest, then worry about that.

As far as the smell, yes it'll likely stink up your house. Burning incense won't help. You'll have to have some sort of air scrubber, or odor neutralizer. You'll probably want to build your own, which is very possible to do cheaply. There are several different ways to set these up, and again, you should browse the growlogs for a situation similar to yours for a good starting point.

Here's a great FAQ: Cannabis FAQs / FAQ , Recipes, Medical Marijuana It's got lots of answers to specific growing issues, but you'll likely find that it doesn't cover every growing scenario. That's why reading through growlogs is important. It's handy to copy someone else's setup until you get the hang of it, and know what can be changed and what can be improved.

The key to getting into this is doing research. Learn about the plant you want to grow and you and your plants will be better for it. And of course if you have any specific questions, anyone here will be happy to help out. But remember, no one is going to hold your hand and walk you through it. You'll have to find the growing situation that's right for you, and you'll have to do the dirty work yourself.

Finally, good luck with your growing!