I guess it's a good idea to start with CFL's or T5's...
of course CFL's are cheaper. I'm still using them, cuz my cabinet growroom is not high enough... its 3 feet tall. I don't think I could use HID. maybe I could use low wattage, but I wanna buy either 400W or 600W HID...
my sugestion would be to get some CFL's. do one grow and see how it goes.
get some basic knowledge in growing and then get an HID.
CFL's are perfect for beginners