Beginner looking for help and a shaving set

Hey all
I recently got back from an amazing trip to Thailand. While I was there I had my first straight razor shaving experience ( haha for about 50 cents) it was great and I was amazed by the closeness.
After my return in my spare time I have been researching this intriguing new idea.
I am ready (as I will ever be) to get a shaving set and looking for any good ones yall may have to offer. However, as I am a full time student combined with Marine Corps ROTC and have no time for work, not to mention my recent trip, my bank account is running on E.
Any help yall may have to offer is greatly appreciated.
Sam

My bank account is about the same, so I'll take any awesome offers you folks might have too! 8)

I suspect your best value for money is to get a sahving sharp honed razor from one of the members here. They're listed in the User Gallery. You won't need to worry about it being sharp enough to get a great shave and you can be pretty confident of the quality of the blades there. Any questions will gladly be answered by the seller. After that all you really need is a good strop and those are there too.

Personally, I don't use a brush and soap (yet?) and you might not have to either if you go with a non-arosol shaving cream (like in a tube for example). With a member keened blade you also won't need to worry about a hone for a couple of months or so and if you're real good with the razor, don't mistreat it and use another strop with paste you'll go even longer before having to buy and learn about honing on a stone, or pay someone to do that for you.

That's a razor for somewhere around $30-$60 (pay for quality if you can, not 'collectibility') and a strop for about $30-$40 initially.

Another $30-$60 a month or few later for the paste/compounds and appropriate strop.

Hones will come eventually and you really should think about that 3" Norton 4000/8000 grit combination stone at $70.

There's my 2¢. I'm no expert, but I recently weighed all these options myself.

X

And if you don't buy a lot more str8 stuff (LOL) you will save in the long run by not buying those Gillette blades.
Bob