The start-up costs are higher because of the PC, jars, etc. After that it's pretty cheap to just buy sub, sterilize and noc it. Takes me about a month to a month and a half from noc to first flush. I once ran my PC until it dried accidentally so for my next grow I just used my rice cooker/steamer, still worked fine - doing BRF jars, though. I wouldn't recommend without a pc for popcorn, WBS, rye berries, etc.
I've never had shrooms so I don't know the dose I'm sure I'd build a tolerance. I would want a good trip once a week so I don't abuse them and use them every day
When I was growing, I did an eighth a week on the weekends, but I know a few people who tried that on their first time and freaked out. I now recommend starting at 2g the first few times, and you have to wait about 3 days for the receptors in your brain to cool down before you can dose again. At 2g I would say you get some nice visuals, at 3.5 you start to have amplified thoughts - for me, it helped me get over my worries, but for some friends it amplified them. By 4g you begin to feel one with the universe, and at 5g you feel as though there is no you, only the universe.