Books: The FAA books are the only ones that are really fair-game. They're available for free in PDF format on the web. They worked well for me.
Fees: Man up and take your initial with a Fed. If you can pass with a DPE, you should pass with a Fed.
Get your initial CFI and maybe the CFII. Once you're instructing somewhere fly with a fellow instructor and get the signoff for the MEI and take it that way.
Also, a lot of places hire their CFIs from students that trained there. This is how I got my first job. If you plan on working somewhere that isn't ATP you might want to look into your local FBO.