miketsp
Contributor
..snip..
I was thinking free diving because it seems like the equipment would be cheaper to purchase starting out and then i could later use that equipment when I was getting scuba certified later on.
..snip..
The most expensive part of your basic equipment will be your fins and it's not likely you'll be able to use the same ones for both unless you intend to limit your diving activities to boat dives in tropical water.
The reason being that for free diving you are almost certainly going to opt for full foot fins and quite likely the long and narrow ones designed for bursts of speed.
Once you start diving you are likely to want to move to boots and open heel fins that are medium length and slightly wider. The issues being power rather than speed and maneuverability rather than straight line speed.