I went to the thrift store and bought some old army camo to start with. It put me back all of $5 and honestly every deer I've asked hasn't cared a bit that I wasn't wearing the latest and greatest designer camo.
Alabama requires the least amount of orange in the eastern US; we can wear either a hat or cap or a vest. I've got both, and use them for different applications. If you're hunting from an enclosed blind or from a stand that's 12' or higher off the ground, no orange is required.
Pretty much the basic things are gun or bow, ammo or arrows, a knife, a rope, an orange hat or vest, and clothes that don't have blue or white in them. If you're hunting from a stand I'd add a safety harness that is in good, working condition -- though you may can borrow this at first, I'd be saving my pennies to buy one as soon as you know you're going to stick with this hunting thing. Also, I wear boots now but I haven't always, and I'm not convinced they're 100% necessary for all situations. If you're not going to be in an area that's muddy or wet, then you can probably get away with some good hiking shoes or trail runners, so long as they're not brightly colored. I basically used my backpacking gear for hunting my first season.
Good luck. What part of Alabama are you hunting? I'm up in the Free State of Winston, and mainly hunt Bankhead NF.