If you want to start out cheap and simple, get the "Guitar For Dummies" book out of your local library and listen to the accompanying CD. Read the chapter on "Travis-style" fingerpicking and listen to the audio examples on the CD. They start you out with some basic thumb rhythms and work up to a simplified version of "Wildwood Flower." The book does a decent job of explaining things along the way. You might even want to check out some of the topics covered in the other chapters. Best of luck.