IMO, and most user here, the best way to learn something is to work with. In case you want to try before spend any money, you can at least try the demo version on Melabs.com website.... There's also a lot of PICBasic code example on this forum,

and on Bruce Website:
http://www.rentron.com/PicBasic1.htm

On Melabs website:
http://www.melabs.com/resources/samples.htm

The melanie's LCD solution is one of the great way you can do what's happen inside the PIC. BUT, in case you don't want to spend money on that LCD, buy a cheap PIC16f628, use MicroCode Studio In Circuit Debugger, an you'll now see how your program work with variable.. see this link by Bruce

http://www.rentron.com/PicBasic/MCS_X3.htm

Cost of these :

demo version PicBasicPro : 0$
MicroCodeStudio : 0$
PIC16f628 :2-3$
Max232 :1-2$
Capacitor+resistor: <1$
DB9 cable : 1-2$
=================
total cost max :8$

After that if you're still interest about PICbasic programming, buy the version who match your requirement.

regards