Ha ha, I'm feeling your original post brother! I shaved with a straight for about 12 years on a tight budget before going over the top on soaps and creams but I still run homeade strops and buy knackered razors and do them up myself. Up until a few weeks ago my highest grit stone was 6000, that's what I shaved off after stropping. Now I've got a Chinese phig for finishing for £16.50 delivered. Lur dee dur! Moving on up like my man George Jefferson!
It can be done on a more than realistic budget but I wasn't doing it that way because I had to, just because I wasn't bothered by all that product out there. As soon as I got a couple posh shaving soaps I was hooked though. At the same time I work hard for my money and personally hate to spend more than I need to on certain things. I enjoy making things so I'm more than happy to spend £5 on an old Joseph Rodgers razor and do it up then take it to my stones and diy strop, can't beat the feeling of restoring an old tool for another generation or two in my mind.
I'm still not sure I should be proud to meet the criteria you set in your original post but I pass with flying colours. I'm no criminal but you can take the boy out of the country and all that...welcome to the forum!