They gave some good advice. Don't spend a lot on your first tree and if you can help it...try a tropical tree first, as you will have something to do on it in the winter, that would not be as advanced as working with dormant trees.

If you can control yourself, I'd say that you should spend a good winter season reading every bonsai book you can get at a library or that you can afford to buy so you can learn. Once you have looked at hundreds of pictures and have read about how much work is involved you should develop an 'eye' for finding Bonsai material and buying it.

You'll save yourself some money if you skip over the kinds of Bonsai you can buy in garden centers and farmers markets...although garden centers can be a good source of decent plant material. Since you like the "Pine" look buy a a juniper from the landscape section and see if you can keep it alive. If you want to try a tropical try something like Ficus, easy to grow and hard to kill. If you want something more interesting try Serissas or New Zealand Tea Trees as they have flowers.

Just remember that you will probably kill your first few trees...don't get discouraged about it.

Per the advice on the other message boards, I have decided that I will probably try a Ficus for my first tree. My newest questions:

How much should I expect to pay for a Ficus?
What tools should I pick up for growing this Bonsai tree? How big does it need to be (when I buy it at the nursery)?
Where can I get a pot (if I can't find a Bonsai store)?

Thank you, MrBrownThumb!

How much you pay depends on where you are buying and if you find a ficus, that is already Bonsai Stock. You can find many Ficus in garden centers, and places like that. You may have to order from the net from somewhere like Florida where you can get something pretty large and not so expensive. The size of the tree will be up to you, and what you want to work with.

Tools can get really expensive, and what you need will depend on what you are trying to achieve. You may not be able to do styling or major work on one if you are new, The most I would recommend for a beginner would be some bonsai shears, but you could get away with using garden shears. They're cheaper and can get the general job of prunning done.

Same thing with pots they can get really expensive and can be found in various places like garden centers. Depending if you want something common and mass produced or if you want something nicer and unique. If you can't find a Bonsai Shop in your area, you may have to order from the net. But as a beginner I would say you shouldn't pay more than 10 for a pot. My local Home Depot sometimes has them and they would suit your needs.

The best thing I could tell you to do is to check for a local Bonsai Society. I think yours is "KANSAS - Mission
The Bonsai Society of Greater Kansas City PO Box 1484 Mission, KS 66222". You will get a chance to meet some people, and take some classes or pick up plants and pots, tools and other things you will need from people who know what they are doing and don't want to just make a buck from you. Sometimes bonsai groups also have plant swaps or sales, would be a chance to get stuff you can't find in your garden center.

Since you are getting a Ficus I would say to stay away from Bengimina and go for something like Nerifola (also known as willow leaf ficus) or Ficus Retusa. When I used to work in a Bonsai Nursery there was a Ficus we would order from FLA, that was a genetically altered variety that had tiny leafs, but I can't rememebr the name. If you can't get to a club google as much info as you can.

Good luck.