Elements is probably the best program for the money. If nothing else it will mean you can use most of the magazine hints and tips as they're
always Photoshop based.
If you want something more complex you could try
The Gimp. It's basically an open source, and therefore free, Photoshop. It does a lot more than Elements, it is closer to CS3/CS4 so it takes time to get to know but you can't beat it for value!