ORIGINAL: bkdavy
Build a Debonair. You'll be flying for under $200 (depending on your scrounging skills). You'll end up with a very durable, well flying trainer. They don't get much simpler than Simple Plastic Airplane Design (SPAD).
Brad
While I agree that SPADs are (usually) cheap, they certainly aren't the best fliers. They fly, to be sure, but they are generally blunt instruments as far as model airplanes go & they make crummy trainers (Debonaire included). They are good for doing dangerous stuff that you wouldn't risk a "real" model on (fun stuff) --- I like them.
BTW, models can cost many TENS of thousands, if you are so inclined & appropriately enabled.