In reply to inframike: A few years ago I needed to get the whole set up as I was just about to move to chamonix for 7 months and couldn't afford to hire for that time. I was pretty skint so was aiming to get everything second hand. After spending much time on ebay (and other auction sites around europe) I ended with a new pair of Scott all mountain skis (£90, german ebay), a pair of new naxo touring bindings (£140, german ebay) and a pair of second hand denalis (£40 off my mate). The inners were too small but the shell was the right length for me so I then spent about £100 on a new inner and getting them fit properly. All these are good quality pieces of kit. I still use the boots and skis but have replaced the bindings last year as I wore them out. The main thing to do if you want a cheap setup is to not be fussy and just search around.
Boots are the most important thing so if you get them second hand make sure you go to a good fitter to get them sorted. You can use AT boots in some alpine bindings (they need to have adjustable toe height) and these are often cheaper than touring bindings. Alpine boots work in touring bindings (except dynafits) and a few of my friends use them as they are a bit cheaper than AT boots and more available second hand. Doesn't matter what boots you get as long as they fit.
Ski poles - get the cheapest ones you can find.
Skins are a pain as they need to be cut to your skis ideally so you'll probably have to buy new.
get a transeiver that's a few seasons out of date. It doesn't matter that it doesn't have all the latest features as long as you know how to use it.
Don't worry about how heavy the gear is. I'm not going to win races with my setup but I still keep a good pace, forget light and fast (and poor!) be strong and fast.
Having your own skis is much less hassle than renting. And although it may cost a bit extra to take them on a plane remember that you don't need another checked bag as all your stuff will fit into your ski bag, so the difference on Easyjet is minimal.
Hope this helps.
Kane