Let me deal with specifics. Suppose you want to load .223 ammo for a bolt action rifle.
Here is a inexpensive way to do it. Inexpensive, yes, but not cheap.
One Lee Hand Press: available from
http://leeprecision.com
price $27
One chamfering tool: available from Lee Precision. price $3
One primer pocket cleaning tool: available from Lee Precision. price $2
One RCBS powder funnel: available from Cabelas.
http://www.cabelas.com. Price $4
One RCBS hand priming tool. available from Cabelas. Price $23
One RCBS shell holder for .223 Remington. available from Cabelas. Price $5.49
Set of RCBS dies in .223 Remington. available from Cabelas. Price. $25
One Lee Safety Scale available from Cabelas. Price. $18
Lee trimming tool. (consists of shell holder, caselength guage, cutter and lock stud) available from Cabelas. Price $6.29
Now that is all you need to get started. The total price is $113.78, or thereabouts.
If you decide to get further into reloading, you will probably get a better scale and other equipment. But you will keep everything else and you will use it.
I have a full sized bench trimmer, but I still use my Lee trimming tool. In fact I prefer using it. I also prefer the Lee chamfering tool to any other on the market. And the RCBS hand priming tool is something you should get right away. It is the best reasonably priced hand priming tool around.
And load your ammo with Sierra or Nosler bullets.
You will also need a powder trickler and a powder scoop. You can make your own powder scoop from cut-down .223 case. And you can attach a paper clip to the case with some epoxy to form a handle. You would use this improvised scoop to place powder onto the scale pan. And then you would trickle powder onto the scale pan to bring your charge up to weight.
You can also buy cheap powder scoops from Lee Precision. You can find a trickler from Cabelas
Mad.