Thank you for the link but it didn't answer my questions.
Do I really need to invest $500 - $1000 in hardcore equipment to make anything? Anything at all?
I'm not looking to make 1 bitcoin next week. Just a little change here and there.
Why was I making more money using Windows Bitcoin Miner app than I am with a real setup?
I also use a couple free bitcoin faucets online where that give out free bitcoin for clicking a link every hour. I make around 80 cents every couple weeks. I make more doing that than mining it myself.