Most people would opt for a Shared Web Hosting service if they are concerned about the costs and if they are just starting out. A shared web hosting service is one which provides for multiple sites. Essentially many websites 'live' on one server which is connected to the internet, just like multiple tenants live on one apartment building. The websites that share the server share in the cost of maintaining the server and ensuring that their sites are secure, which means lower cost for each web site.
Some web sites which are being hosted by cheap web site host providers are usually prone to down time. A reflection on the kind of services which cheap web hosting plans are known about. But, then again, this does not apply to all; there are still some cheap web hosting out there that are mindful to their clients' needs and concerns. One should also see in a wider perspective that if your server frequently crashes down, there is a tendency to lose your clients.
This is why I prefer Affordable Web Hosting plans. They give you more control of your website. If your site doesn't generate traffic right away you will not have to worry about having your web hosting service cancelled with no warning. You will also be given more tools to help grow your website and make your site more user friendly. Reliability is also something you get with paid hosting. They want to keep you as a customer so they will do more to keep you satisfied. Free web hosting can be crappy on purpose in hopes that you will upgrade to the paid service so you might as well get an affordable web hosting plan that fits your needs.
So, you have a name, a plan and a place for your site to live. Finally, it is time to start designing! The choice here is to try to build yourself, "self-build", or find a professional to do the job for you. A half way house some use is to find a family member or friend who dabbles in web design and will do the job for as little as a case of beer. I would strongly advise against this route as the design process can be quite intense and is apt to place some strain on any personal relationship if significant redrafting is needed or the design is not all you had hoped for. If your first designer is not up to the project you can fire them and move on. Letting go of a family friend can present far more issues.
So you have your Shared Web Hosting UK site planned out. You know who you want to visit your site, what you want them to do when they get there, and have a pretty good idea how you want your site to look. Now it is time to give your site a name. For a web site that means "registering a domain name". Domain names can be registered pretty cheaply (from about $8 to $15 depending on the domain type).
I am from the UK and a few years ago I would struggle to purchase products from the United States online. This was because most websites only accepted major credit cards, but I had a debit card and this was not always accepted. But this is less of a problem now that more companies are accepting PayPal.
As you can see shared web hosting offers a myriad of options with minimal costs. A precursory search will provide ample hosts that offer reasonable prices for reliable service.