How To Save Money And Get A Better Shave
I hate spending money on things I feel are overpriced. It’s not that I’m cheap or anything, I just lean a little toward the frugal side. Razor cartridges seem to go up in price substantially every time one of the companies adds another blade to the mix. I’ve never seen the point of spending upwards of $15 on a package of 4 razor cartridges. My wife is painfully aware of this, since she is the one I complained to every time I had to buy more blades.
So last Christmas my wife bought me a safety razor that uses double edge razor blades. You know - a razor similar to what your grandfather used. The model I received was the Merkur Slant Bar. There’s a marked difference between it and a Mach 3 or Fusion. This thing is built to last - it will probably be the last razor I ever need. The cost was about $30 - this is kind of a steep entry price, but the blades average out to be about $0.30 - $0.50 a piece. Typically, I’ll buy a sampler pack of 30 blades for $8.50 ($0.28/blade) and these will last me a year. Whereas blades for a fusion ($16 for 4) would set me back about $192/year.
After using shaving cream from a tube, I honestly am not sure if I could ever use shaving cream from a can again. I find that the results I achieve with the brush-on shaving cream are far superior. The shave is closer and more comfortable. Plus - it smells much better. A tube will last me about 9 months or so and costs about $10.
Lets get onto to the actual shave. I usually use a three-pass shaving method. This amounts to a pass with the grain, one across the grain and a final pass against the grain. While it seems like this would take a bit longer to complete, I can actually shave in a bit over 5 minutes. This is a bit longer than it used to take me, but the shave is far superior and lasts longer.
Over the long run, the safety razor and blades are much cheaper than most alternatives. I can also feel good about producing less waste. I used to think of shaving as a task - now I actually find joy in it!
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Just Squeaking By is a blog about my personal finances and my quest to get them in order. Read more about Just Squeaking By
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I quit shaving…it’s been months now and it’s been quite a money saver. I shave under my chin/neck once a week and razors and shaving cream last forever.
David, that is certainly another way to save money and time! I wish I had that option - when I let my beard grow out it tends to itch, so I just shave it off.