$50 plus per-contract fees, for the crippleware version without autospreading & etc. 'Pro' version is $400/mo plus. But you make a good point.
Have you thought about a local math/finance type? Where are you? Is there a MeetUp around you? A local university with an unblemished Java/finance geek waiting to be formed into something useful? Before they invaded my personal email contacts, I used to have very constructive contact with lots of folks on LinkedIn -- I can't *recommend* it, but...... THE PEOPLE were good -- CBOE, NY, lots of informed and up-to-date people. Thoughts?
An infinite amount of capital would be the best account size to start trading. A better question would be, "What would be the minimum account size to practically consider trading?" Answer would depend on the strategies employed, markets traded, commission cost, and holding periods. It's possible to start trading with a few thousand dollars. But even if one were to get a 300% annual return, would the amount of time invested in capturing that return be worth it relative to other income opportunities? There's always an opportunity cost to everything.
EU, Eastern Europe. Far easier to find guys with an interest in raising goats for milk and other benefits than speculating on the capital markets. What's that? Actually there is but I don't find much use in the types who hang around there. That will be one of the ways to go, I've actually taught some math classes there and can do it again. Capable kids are already taken by various employers and can't be incentivized without $$$. And there would be a long learning curve anyways until they're productive and when they finally are, unless I can incentivize them with $$$$$, they'll just leave for greener pastures, partly thanks to the capital and training I invested in them. Hiring mercenaries works if you're Black Rock but for little guys like me it has to be voluntary association with the idea that 1 + 1 > 3.
Don't think of it as 500/month. You can't do much with that. Think about 6,000/year. If you lose 6,000 in the first month, you are done for the next 11 months. But now you have some risk capital to work with.