I just wanted to post my beginners experience. I have no job and am getting ready to go back to school to finish my masters. I have a 4 year old daughter. That being said I have practically no money.
I wanted to start shaving after many years without a razor on my face. I've always had razor burn which led to me not shaving in the first place. I read on instructables.com about the great shave a gentleman got with a str8.
In my pursuit I spent many hours on this forum. Eventually joined and purchased a razor through the classifieds, learned to make soap via this and another (soap) forum, made a leather and jean strop, turned my own brush, made an aftershave and turned a soap cup and lather bowl. All in all this has been interesting, I have proven that this can be done, and well, on an extreme budget.
$35 razor from classifieds
$5 for strop leather from local saddle maker
$15 for materials for soap and aftershave, I owned a lot already
$45 (I think) for brush from golden nib
Since I have set up I have gotten a lot more like a legit strop, another rebirthed razor, have restored one of my own and have made one more.
I don't know if this was worth posting, but I know I would have been interested in seeing this when I first started.