[SEJeff]

Elon described it in an interview once as this:

If you saw $6 million, falling from the sky, would you try to catch it? Each fairing is around $3 million, so they're trying to catch it. That gives them $6 million more per-customer they can discount the price should they need to get really competitive. It is really kind of insane that no one has tried this before.

[jczhang]

Love that kind of commentary Elon provides.

[nur0n]

Link to the interview?

[Lanzaa]

Musk has used the pallet of cash analogy several times.

Here is Musk using it in regards to saving the fairing @ ISS Research and Development Conference 2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cPMS6cT0Ig&t=825

In regards to the first stage (booster stage) at Code Conference 2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsixsRI-Sz4&t=545

[SEJeff]

I did look at the past few interviews I've watched, but can't easily find it and google is failing me. It was one of the long hour+ interviews, I do believe.