The most essential elements you need to have on your drumset

My biggest concern when I was a beginner was to buy lots of drums and cymbals because as many drummers out there I tough that with the more I had,  the better I'll be. 

But one of the greatest advice I had from my first professor tough me was: "If you can work a 4-piece set and amaze your audience, you can work any drumset you like". 

From that day on I knew that the items you have in your drumset are unimportant if you can't play them. So what I personally recommend is to pull out the best of you on what you have. At first, I only had a kick, a snare, a floor tom, one high tom, a ride, and a hit-hat, and for me, those are the basic things you need. 

And don't get me wrong having more drum parts on your set is very funny and great, but they're not essential and you should start practicing right on. So don't stress out if you don't have money for buying stuff, you don't need them. 

Look at Ringo Starr, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, and Ginger Baker, they're part of the most influential drummers ever and they didn't have metal drum-sets, they had great technique and a great sense of rhythm. That's all you need, and when you grab a bigger drum set I assure you will have a great time.