I'm just getting to a place where I have the basics all covered myself so a lot of this is freash in my mind. I should be working but we are slow and I have a computer setting in front of me so I'll share. This might be a long one but I want to be sure I don't leave something vital out.
Power!
You need a charger. If you already have one make sure it will charge the kinds of batteries you plan to use.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/..._6_50W_6A_Balancer_Charger_w_accessories.html
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...attro_4x6S_Lithium_Polymer_Multi_Charger.html
The first of those is teh Accucel 6 and is a great charger. I started with that one and it was always great, I do still use it. I now have something very much like the 2nd charger I listed. Another member of the club ordered that exact charger and loves it too. They are almost the same and work in the exact same way, the 2nd just has 4 of the first in it.
You will need a way to power the charger. This has been touched on but there is a bit more information to give I think. Both of the linked chargers will hook up to a car battery and work fine. If you want to charge in your house some options for affordable power supplies have also been mentioned in thread. I have one of the modified server power supplies. I got it at SEFF this year. I didn't know enough at the time to build one, but they are pretty simple. My power supply will run 2 of those 4 port chargers at full power with no problem.
Batteries can be talked about for years and there would be something left to mention I'm sure. The FliteTest guys to a great job of making this easy when you are starting and you will grow pretty fast if very little effort. The best advice I can give here really is in connectors. I put the same things on everything. I don't want to deal with 100 different connectors so I just make everything XT60 as soon as I get it. Female on the batter and male on the ESC is the standard layout.
I can see no reason not to balance charge your batteries all the time. It might take more time but it certainly keeps the battery healthy. Truth told it doesn't take that much more time on batteries in the sizes used for FT stuff anyway. I like batteries with 2C or better charge rates but I never go over 2C even if the battery will let that happen. More batteries is the trick, not faster charging. The faster you charge in shorter that total life of the battery in general. That said if you get a multi-port charger remember most only come with enough cable and balance board for 1 port. You will need to get the rest.
Radio!
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/dx6i-dsmx-6-channel-full-range-without-servo-md2-SPM6610
I picked up a DX6i with a reciever when I started. They are available, they are reasonably priced, and everything you need is in the box. There are a ton of people that love and hate this radio so do your own research and make your own call. I personally liked it well enough to get me hooked so bad I had to have something more. Now I fly the DX8. If you know you are going to be flying for a while go ahead and get that. I just got the DX6i because I didn't want to get bored flying and back out of the hobby with $400+ in a radio I'm not using.
Using Spektrum radios will give you access to all the BNF (Bind-N-Fly, means everything you need but the radio is in the box) stuff Horizon puts out and OrangeRX. OrangeRX can save you some money on recievers in the future if Hobbyking learns how to keep them in stock. As it stands you have to buy them from eBay most of the time and people love to jack the price up. Still not bad, but you would think HobbyKing would stop it.
Misc
I'm assuming you have a ton of tools because it really sounds like you do. All kinds of tools are needed. Things you might not have that you certainly need are as follows:
I'll think of more I'm sure but for now this is a lot of stuff to get your hands on. I linked to HobbyKing as much as possible but to be honest I can't stand shopping with them. The price is right, but it seems everything worth buying is out of stock all the time, and then you have to worry about shipping time too. They are a little bad about these things. I'll include links to companies I have used with much more success (assuming you are in The States, I honestly didn't look before)
http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/ (LOVE THESE GUYS!)
http://www.altitudehobbies.com/index.php?route=common/home (most motors on swappables for me come from here)
http://www.atlantahobby.com/store/pc/home.asp
http://www.lazertoyz.com/ (I have had a little trouble with stuff from these guys TBH. Slow shipping and items not in the box. I hate to bash at all because they support the show, but they are a little hit and miss from personal experience. Then again maybe its just me.)
If you need something more let me know. I'm happy to help if I can and if I can't it will be a chance for me to learn something new too.