My father was interested in saving money due to the high cost of cartridge replacements. I gave him a Gillette DE for Christmas with some Derby blades, a Frank Shaving Brush and some MWF. The entire gift probably cost me $50 and will most likely last him a year without replacing soap or blades.

In my opinion, if saving money is your sole concern, DE is a great way to go without the "scariness" of straights.