If money is an issue.

[mainbutter]

Please note, my post is strictly with the understanding that if funds are an issue, you're probably hoping to make money in the long run, or at least break even.

If you don't have hundreds of dollars

The fact is that breeding reptiles WILL cost hundreds of dollars.

A good thermostat runs $100. You'll need at least two if you want to have both a pair of snakes (required to get a clutch of eggs, for obvious reasons) and an incubator. Already you're looking at "hundreds", before even buying housing or your animals.

In addition, the less money you spend on animals, the more likely you will run a deficit rather than a profit in breeding. Imagine feeding a pair of animals on average of 40 times a year. At ~$1.50 a feeder, that's a feeding bill of $120 annually. In addition, the extra energy costs for your heating elements can be surprisingly expensive. I'm spending about $20 a month on heating all my reptiles. All of these costs are the same per animal, regardless of whether it's a normal or a $20,000 morph. If you're breeding morphs that run $500 each, the relative impact of maintenance costs is diminished.

Financially, the best way to get into morphs for someone who is lacking funds is to pick up a weekend job. Find the most expensive restaurant that will hire you and work hard to get good tips. If you're doing alright financially without a weekend job, then it will easily add to your discretionary funding.

On payment plans:

Payment plans are only for people who aren't capable of deciding to save up ahead of time, and are prone to impulse-purchases. Impulse purchases are a gateway to spending more than earning in herpetoculture.

Financially, the best route to go is to save up money long term and spend that time planning your ideas and goals for breeding. Don't jump the gun, but wait until the right moment occurs when you find a SPECTACULAR individual animal, have your breeding plans formed, AND have saved up all the cash you need to make the purchase.