I am pretty new, too; and pretty addicted as well.
Not counting the equipment (which, face it, is half the fun), it's actually not that expensive of a hobby. I've been brewing both beer and wine, and I've been pondering why I like it so much, and several answers come to mind.
1) It can save a fair amount of money. I'm making some pretty darned complex and tasty wines from juice (just bottled a cab from Chile; and I've got a California Pinot going that is already delicious (and gassy!) -- 's gonna be a fine wine. Those will cost me about 4 or 5 dollars a bottle.
2) It's just plain fun; the entire process.
3) You can make wines and brews otherwise not available to purchase, which is a grand thing.
4) And it's fun. Did I mention?
Anyway, welcome to the hobby. If you actually drink what you make (I give away a lot of it), you will actually save money. Not a bad deal.