... just as a quick note... I really struggle with the idea that brewing beer, period, is dramatically more "economical" than just buying good beer.
IMHO, if someone is brewing to save money, they're 1) in it for the wrong reason and 2) are going to be disappointed.
And don't get me wrong Azharen, I'm not accusing you of anything.
My only point is that for a pretty large majority of folks that brew, the hobby turns into an obsession.... and as soon as that happens, the "economics" fly out the window very quickly.
I can brew a batch of... say... a Belgian Quad for a LOT less than what it would cost me to buy the same volume at the liquor store... BUT... what has it cost me to build my AG rig? and then all of the other bells/whistles that go along with it?
LOL... hell, I'm due to break even sometime in the year 2056.
Sure, you can absolutely brew with a sharp eye on costs and ultimately save some money... but... like I was saying, I just think putting those kind of handcuffs on yourself takes a lot of the fun out of the hobby itself.
This thread is a perfect example... you're a new brewer but already looking to go AG... that means new equipment... and once you have one peice of new equipment, there will alllllllllllllways be the "well... if I just get this" or "if I just get that".... and then it's downhill from there.
I agree with what Cape is saying here. However, I understand the desire to save money, and if you have the desire to make good beer too, then I think you ought to consider going AG as soon as you re comfortable with the rest of the brewing process.
AG is not THAT much different than extract for the most part. Yes there is more to think about, and more to screw up, but if you take your time and read a bit, you should be able to successfully brew AG batches just like your extract batches.
It WILL save you money, if that is what you want. But you have to be aware that once you start going down that road, it's very easy to start spending money on "that one next thing".
You are almost ready for AG. As has been mentioned, you need a Mash Tun. I used a cheap cooler and made up a copper manifold and a spigot. You could spend less and do a "brew-in-a-bag" system, but I think they are slightly less efficient.
If you really want to save money, go AG, but buy grain in bulk. For that you will NEED a crusher of some sort. Add that to the cooler, and the price to get there goes up. You could order grain online pre-crushed, but you won't be getting the huge savings that buying bulk would give you.
In summary, yes you can save money doing AG, but there is an initial cost to consider, and of course, the additional costs as you "upgrade" your system down the road. I'm not saying that it's inevitable that you will keep spending money on the hobby, but, ok, it's inevitable.
I'd set up a cooler first, or try the BIAB thingy, and buy pre-crushed grain and try AG. If you like it (and you will), then focus on getting a crusher when you can and going bulk once you can crush for yourself.