I toured 500 miles on a bike built from scrap parts found in a college bike shop's used parts bins. I'm about to go another 500 on it around southern new england this coming week. The most I paid for anything was $7 for brake pads and $30 for lights. For other bikes that I have I was able to order parts straight from QBP through this non-profit bike shop at wholesale prices. If you can do this, do it, because most bike shops have 200-300% profit on accessories, which is disgusting if you ask me.

I am touring cross-country leaving this march

What I'm doing is I have a bike in mind that I want to get (Surly LHT) and acquiring all of the accoessories now - panniers, racks, lights, waterbottles and cages, yadda yadda, just got a brooks saddle, and have acquired all necesarry tools, pump, spare tubes and tires and brake pads, about to make saddle bag and handlebar bag, and then when I have everything except the bike, I'll buy the bike (or frame).

Budget tactics: have a plan of what you want, start buying it piece by piece and you won't even notice the money flowing because you'll only get what you can afford and when you can afford it and you'll save since you can find individual components at lowest prices (sometimes free!), and on top of that a great part is getting to learn and research about exactly what you want and have a better knowledge base of what's available, rather than buying a generic package.

Step by step, starting with parts and tools that you can use on your bike now and snagging up good deals that you find along the way, it's extremely pleasing when it all comes together how you want it. It makes really you start thinking about what you spend your money on too when you are constantly putting little bits and pieces into the bike, rather than just trying to save.

BTW headsets and BBs are really easy with the right tools, and it really helps to know about them while on the road. Headset cups can be pressed in without special tools and BB tools are not that expensive. Usually i have been able to do BB with a screwdriver and hammer if I was in a pinch - though that doesn't happen that much. ebay has BB tools ending between $0.99-$20 - may be useful to have one in the long run