Free: Contests & Raffles.
Before you buy, think about what kind of skiing you want to do, as that will drive what equipment you want. You probably want classic and not skate skis, unless you are planning to spend a lot of time on specially groomed trails (like in the Methow). After that, you're trading increasing control and ability to go downhill against weight and ability to go faster on the flats. For most beginners, you don't want "telemark" or "backcountry" boots. Most people in western Washington ski on ungroomed logging roads, so pretty much any set of waxless, classic cross country skis will work fine. Metal edges are optional. Fit the boots to your shoe size, the ski and pole length to your height/weight. There are a lot of online sources to tell you the best ski length for your height. I've bought a lot of gear on Craigslist and it's been great.