In the grand scheme of aviation related gizmos, gadgets and gas, a good fitting, effective ANR headset is worth every penny if you plan to fly more than a couple hours a day. In many cases it might even be tax deductible.
Zulu, and probably Bose, frequently offer trade-in discounts. Beg, borrow, steal, EBay a cheap headset and trade it in on the headset of choice (Zulu for me) and get a $200-300 credit on the trade in. Small price to pay for comfortable, hearing-protecting, clear communications I think. Checkout the company websites for any ongoing rebates.