So I've done some research and it seems like the grinder is where I should put most of the money? In your experiences what would you recommend for a machine and grinder combo to make it easy for a newbie. I've heard a breville double boiler is a good starting machine or maybe getting any machine with a smart plug so it can turn on automatically in the am.

Welcome to H-B!

Have you already read and watched
How to choose an espresso machine and grinder at the "right" price
and read the FAQs at
Best of Buying Advice Forum

Those are some pretty broad questions. I'd spend some time to read through what has already been written here, as well as what you might have learned elsewhere. Once you've digested that, there are a lot of people here that can help with more specific questions.

BDB + Niche. Use that setup for a month. Use any leftover $$$ for beans and accessories to improve your workflow.

Another good pairing on a budget would be the BDB with the DF64.

With your budget it's probably not going to be feasible to spend most of it on the grinder, unless you don't care about steaming milk.

For machine you're probably in the range of a nice SBDU, an HX, or a BDB. My front-runner would be the Lelit Mara X (think it costs ~1600) and a flow control device (another 250). With an SBDU you might be able to stretch your grinder money a bit farther, but it does come at the cost of excellent steaming. If you don't care about steaming milk, I'd probably choose the Flair 58. It has temperature management and you get to be the pressure management, which means you're in control of the primary variables an espresso machine is responsible for in the brewing process.

For grinder you're probably in the Vario, Niche, Lagom P64 range. I like my Vario (Forte-fied and aligned), chief complaint would be the stepped adjusting mechanism and how the micro adjustment arm slides a bit. I'd be interested to play with the Niche Zero, which has conical burrs that theoretically produce more fines and so more body and less clarity. The Lagom would be more than half of your max budget. It's a different class of grinder and I can only refer to reviewers' opinions but it does sound like it offers some improvement in the cup, or at least a significantly different drinking experience.

Welcome to Home-Barista. While most machines in that range would handle most kinds of use, there are several things to consider to find what is more suitable.

Machine:
What is your usage? How many espressos over what time?
Do you want to steam milk, for a latte or cappuccino?
What kinds of coffee do you generally drink?
Any size constraints?
Are you ok filling the tank in the back of the machine, or would it be necessary to fill from the front?

Grinder:
Do you want something where you weigh the beans, then grind them? Or fill a hopper with beans and weigh the grinds? Or a grinder that weighs the grinds as it dispenses?

Some of the info about your usage will apply to the grinder choice as well.