Paul's words had a context and it is certain that he was NOT advising every believer to remain unmarried, else there would soon be nothing but clergy and no families to raise in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Here's what Paul was talking about:
Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs — how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife - and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world — how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. (I Cor. 7:25-35)
Christians were being persecuted and killed, Paul said that because of this, it was better for a man to remain unmarried if he was called to be a traveling missionary preaching the gospel as having a family could impact his freedom to move. It really had NOTHING to do with preventing a person from being "spiritual" or doing what God has created him to do.
Celibacy was NOT a discipline of the early church but was brought into the Roman Catholic church to protect church assets from being passed down to families. No family, nobody to inherit property. And, as you said, less cost transferring a single man than him, his wife and children. It was not, however, a discipline the early church leaders practiced.
Thanks for the Scripture, but nobody made the claim celibacy was a discipline of the early church.