mmmm so! if you're serious about CGing, i would recommend you to study all about photoshop's features (how to use layers, how to use the effects and all).
i myself learned photoshop through the GFX making groups here. they give you lotsa nifty tutorials and easy to understand. furthermore, the experience i gained by making avataras, banners, etc proved to be useful when i do my CGs.

then, i also recommend you to do your CG using mouse.
it's really hard at first, but when you get used to it, you'll learn how to do your CG far better when you've gotten yourself a tablet and not depend on it too much. you'll learn how to scan your pictures, how to colour it using PS or any other graphic softwares, how to pick the base colour and the shading colour, etc.

i had do this for 1year and a half++ approximately before i finally got my current tablet.

and regarding the kind of softwares to be used, i suggest you to use Photoshop CS3 (or above) and Paint tool SAI. those two programs have always been popular among deviantart and pixiv artists. there's also neko paint (or something) but im not familiar with it as the program's only available in japanese language.

as for tablet, (when you think you deserve to have it), the brand Wacom will be the best choice. there's also Genius, but it's not as good as Wacom.
for a starter, Wacom Bamboo tablet would be good enough.
mine's Wacom Intuos 4, the latest version of Wacom's tablet. this tablet is more expensive than bamboo, but has better sensitivity.
also, the surface texture of bamboo and intuos4 are different. intuos4 was made to have a texture that depicts more to a paper texture, but based on my experience, as time goes by the surface worn out itself and becomes slick like bamboo's surface. moreover, the nib of my intuos4 pen wears out easily and deforms into something more sharp looking (which, im afraid may damage my tablet).

you can google wacom bamboo's and wacom intuos4's prices. they're rather expensive i warn you, so only buy them when you're serious about CGing. dont buy it on impulse, or you'll just end up not using it at all (8 of my friends did that).
and never think that using tablet is easy. it takes time to be able to adjust yourself using it. i think it takes around 2 weeks to be able to get used to it. i got used to it for around 3 days or less, basically because i've gotten myself exposed to these programs and learned how the tablet works i believe.

last but not least, remember, just because you're drawing CGs doesn't mean you can depend on your tablet for everything. tablet is just a tool. your skill always comes first.