If you are thinking about buying the stuff in order to later sell it off, everything loses value. Especially when new units come out. My Boss distortion pedal I bought for $108 wound up being sold 2 months later at Guitar Center for $30.
Back to the pedal situation. You can buy all sorts of pedals, which as you have said, some people think they sound better. I've heard that as well. But, in reality, I just don't have the money to go and buy every type of pedal out there to sound like the bands that I want to sound like. Nor do I have the money to get every amp that they use to sound like them either. A sound device like the Boss 8 or 10 or the PODs will do you better until you get good and rich enough to get into a band where you will want to have all the toys.
In essence, with having the cheap guitar, get yourself the sound bank, have fun with the sounds and imitating the bands' tones you are learning. Once you've figured out whether you are in it for the long haul and are going to do more with the music, then upgrade your equipment.