The total price of my Reaction 54 ... kit + motor + servos + receiver + retracts ... was approximately $3500. It's probably the nicest flying airframe of all the planes I own. If you really want to save money but want to fly a jet buy a foam EDF. Stinger 90 from MotionRC. $379 + $109 (50C Lipo battery). MotionRC has lots of EDF's to choose from. Or the Viper jet 90 which is a little bigger than the Stinger 90. Taft hobby sells the Viper jet 90 for less than $500.

A word of caution: the Stinger 90 EDF is fast. If you take off, suck up the flaps, retract the gear, and give it full throttle ... it will go out of sight really fast. Be prepared to turn back so you can keep it in sight. If you don't you'll end up disoriented and you'll lose your plane.