"The Price of Everything and The Value of Nothing" Oscar Wilde (I think?)
My advice would be to go for the full JAR licence.
With respect to the books and equipment, I would buy these locally. If you take into account the cost of the course a few quid extra on the books is neither here nor there.
Enjoy the process of learning and the fun after you have qualified - to do this I suggest that you should join a good club. It takes money to run a club and if they can't make a profit then they will not be around for long.
PS I don't run a club but I am a part-time instructor.
