In my mind, the investment is reasonable and pays for itself quickly.
I use a MEC 600 Jr Mark 5 press. Midway has them for $277 at the moment.
MEC is known for making high quality presses that will last. The 600 Jr. Mark 5 is MEC's most popular single stage model and for good reason. This press...
www.midwayusa.com
I don’t always use it to charge with shot, as the larger shot can be difficult to dispense from the hopper without bridging in the tube, but a dipper will measure shot reasonably well, and is still efficient.
I use H110 for the powder. This seems to be readily available and a pound will load about 450 2.5” shells, so @ $50 per lb, about $0.11 of powder per shell.
Wads are about $0.03 each
Shot is around $50 for a 22lb bag, so you can load about 700 1/2 oz shells, or about $0.07 each.
Primers might be $70 or $80 per thousand, or about $0.08 per.
so (if you have the empty hulls) you will spend about
$300 press (taxes/shipping)
$50 powder (enough for 450 shells)
$50 shot (enough for 700 shells)
$15 for wads (500)
$80 for primers (enough for 1000 shells)
total outlay of $495 to load about 450 shells, with shot and primers left over, or about $1.10 each for the first 450 (not that far off from market prices), and $0.29 per after that (Way below market price)