I wanted to do crushed stone to start with and tamp it with the hand one.... but I dont think my neighbors want to spend anymore money on the patio.. 370$ for the pallet of pavers, 100$ ish for the tools.. plus my fee of putting the bloody thing up . which I really want to tear out and do it over the right way outa my pocket... errr.. Im waiting for them to come home now

Thats how we did my patio... we tamped it but without stone. we just made the sand/dirt mixture moist so it wouldnt move around alot and worked from the outside in.