I'm just gonna be flat out transparent here...I'm totally a gear hoarder. I am really. I'm always on the look out to what's the next thing i what to pack in my studio. Of course I've got my reasons for it. I want the best to create the best. Every new piece of gear be it a lens or new light has bumped my skills a couple of points for the first few times I've used them. But I know after awhile it can be overkill. Especially in the beginning stages.
The best thing to invest is in your education really. Check out the books. Download the online courses. Show up to the seminars. That's where the real fun comes from. If you've got all this gear and don't know how to lock its potential then it's ultimately just a waste of money. There's so much to learn just with using your camera and natural light that you can easily create stunning pictures if you took the time to study and apply it.
A lot of the gear that I've bought, I still haven't used it yet. So I'm guilty of it myself believe me. The best advice I've heard is simply to master what it is you've already got. Then once you've reached that plateau it's time for the upgrade.
For anyone starting out going small always helps since most are only getting a feel for the art and seeing if they would consider photography as a full time thing. So a high level apsc like the 7D or the entry level full frame 6D are awesome choices to go for. Stick a 50mm 1.8 or a 24-105 f4 and your good for kids, family, engagements hell even some portfolio model shoots as well! All that other stuff is fluff really.