I actually haven't looked into the cost of top coats yet, I was trying to figure out costs from the bottom up, and since everything until the paint I can manage to get free, the paint is currently my biggest cost, I had no clue (yet) that the finishing costs is where it gets you! Looking online, all the wicked paints that I have found were $10+ for 1-2oz and their website hadn't mentioned thinning it so I assumed it was airbrush ready (already thankful for this forum just from learning that!), though I have been experimenting with thinning my current paints to a consistency that seems to work for me and my airbrush. This is a whole new ballgame for me - clearly.
I'm currently not too worried about "user friendly", I've always been taught to learn with cheap/crappy so when you get decent and invest in nicer quality equipment/mediums you have a smaller learning curve that will prove better results - I don't actually know if that theory would be effective in this situation though - we will see soon since I've so far learned with thinned out craft acrylics.
As far as time put in, aside from fridays and saturdays, I'm working on so crafty hobby about 14hrs a day, since the newest craft is airbrushing, and people already want to order from me, its something I really have to put extra time in on, so literally every free second at home is spent on it, and most free time outside of home is being spent on researching it. I have time, I'm told I have natural talent, so if I work on lots of practice and making/bettering my method, I should be okay - theoretically.
I really appreciate you guys all ready, I'm already learning quite a bit!