Light Question

I am on day 30 and my plants are only 7 inches tall. They are healthy indeed but I screwed up with the money situation and could not afford a good lighting set up until now. My question is for four plants, indoors, would I be better off with One 400w hps light, or should I use two high output t12 flourescent lights. I know that orange/red light is better for flowering, and the blue spectrum is better for veg. Currently I need a veg stage jumpstart, but I am not sure what light(s) to purchase.

400hps is the best way to go. But you dont want to veg under it (you can but you dont want to) you can veg under some cheap cfls, 26w or better. Get about 4-8 ($7 for 4) rig them up and veg under them and flower under that 400w hps. Thats a good light, and it beats any kind of flourscent hands down

The thing is though, the hps bulb is cheap, the ballast I am sure will be more than 20$ and that is what sucks, I do not think I have the choice of buying both the flos for the veg and the hps for the flowering. It is kind of one or the other. My friend has a reflector with two regular cfl, not even the high output kind. I could use those two for the veg and get the hps for the flowering, but I am not sure! argh

HPS would be best. you can gets enhanced bulbs that will allow you to veg with HPS. you understand you need a ballast?