How I save money wetshaving...

[bcraig.waciii]

(Please note, I posted this as a comment on another thread. I have made a few modifications though. Oh, if you are in wet shaving as a hobby disregard the post)

Right now, I am spending about $2.50/ month in blades, about $2.50 in shaving cream/ soap, and my VDH Boar hair brush I have had for about a year and a half which brings its cost down to roughly $0.01/ per day or about $0.30 per month. Oh and my NDC TTO Gillette razor was $10.00 which I have had for 1 month now, plus my 1970s Gillette travel razor I paid $10 for 3 months ago. Total on razors per month, right now, is $13.33 The grand total I am spending per month on wet shaving goods is: *(Drumroll)* $18.63 (Probably a little high because I have not completely used up my first 10 pack of blades that I got from my local grocery store, or had my razors for long) This number will come down because I came into wet shaving for the economy and comfort, and am not interested in expanding my collection at this time. Plus, everything I buy (William's, VDH Deluxe, Brush, Blades) are all purchased locally which reinforces my local economy. My drugstore blades, and William's (not sure about VDH) create jobs here in the US, which is what we need right now in this tough economy. So I suppose that the moral of this story is to buy local. The only wet shaving product I have not been able to purchase locally are the razors.

I know the brush will wear out eventually, but I am not willing to spend the money on a badger hair brush that I cannot buy at my grocery store, or my drugstore. Even if they did bring one in, I probably would not pay the price.

Another tip: Put together a Poor Man's Shaving kit.

The basic kit essentials (This is probably the most it should include):

1. Razor (Get it online or from an antique store for under $10)
2. Drugstore blades (usually around $6)
3. Drugstore soap, or cream (This might be where you can splurge a bit. Nothing over $10. I think it would be okay to purchase some CO Bigelow from your local Bath and Body Works store.)
4. Bowl or mug from the kitchen (If it is absolutely necessary for lathering. I hand lather or face lather just to save time on cleanup. Plus you can store your drugstore soap in the containter it came in instead of buying a mug or other soap holding device.)
5. Witch Hazel, AS, ASB (pick one and only one and nothing over $8)
6. Soft washcloth (Which you should have anyways in your linen/bathroom closet/cupboard) Use it for hot/ cold towel treatments, and for application of Witch Hazel, or your choice of aftershave so you can save on cotton applicators.
7. A brush that is going to last you at least a year. (My VDH Natural is still going strong after a year and a half, and in my opinion is pretty soft, and really reliable. Plus you cannot beat the price for only$6. You can rub it on the spackled walls to soften it up sooner. Keep this budget under $25. This allows you room to buy a VDH Badger brush.)

The most you should spend on this kit is about $40-$50.

I realize that I have mentioned VDH products quite frequently, and by no means am I afilliated with them. It is what I have at my disposal at the local drugstore.

So, to conclude, the moral of my story is to shop and buy local. This limits most budgets, yet leaves room for small expirementation. That expirementation should should cure some of your AD. Also, keep your kit as bare bones as possible. You could even do it like my dad used to do in the late 50s and just use whatever soap is on the sink to save an extra little bit.

 

[The Kiwi]

My costs, however, were mostly negligible. I never got rid of five of my Gillette DEs that in two cases went back nearly sixty years, and for three more, almost fifty years. I needed more blades, and a new brush, was about all. It was shave mugs that spoiled my intentions. I wanted to replace the early ones of those from my beginnings, and got caught in some SMAD, grabbing up seven when I only "needed" two.

However many of the currently active members have been in here since last January, sorry to tell it again, but the member turnover brings up many of the same themes . . it was not finding a spare Sensor handle on any retailer's wall pegs that got me annoyed. I'd gotten so annoyed at my first Mach3 that I tossed it halfway through a test shave (the head fell off three times). I never tried any Fusion, and I got enough shaves from a package of Sensor cartridges that I wasn't feeling financially frustrated.

Looking for a Sensor on the 'Net eventually led here, and looking around my house for more than the singleton DE I had in regular use (weekends, at least), I found two spare Sensors, and Atras, and a TracII.

Personally, I arrived feeling annoyed at the "new Gillette", and phased into a point where I'm happier with shaving, in general, enjoying the process, not just accepting it. I hope that you do so, as well.

 

[dtezla]

I always grab all the Williams Mug Soaps when I find them at my local stores - love that stuff!!! I have a stockpile of about 25 or so sitting neatly on top of my medicine cabinet - prepared for the shavepocolypse

 

[SuperChris]

buying blades online is normally way cheaper and you have access to more selection

 

[joshuastar]

(Please note, I posted this as a comment on another thread. I have made a few modifications though. Oh, if you are in wet shaving as a hobby disregard the post)

Right now, I am spending about $2.50/ month in blades, about $2.50 in shaving cream/ soap, and my VDH Boar hair brush I have had for about a year and a half which brings its cost down to roughly $0.01/ per day or about $0.30 per month. Oh and my NDC TTO Gillette razor was $10.00 which I have had for 1 month now, plus my 1970s Gillette travel razor I paid $10 for 3 months ago. Total on razors per month, right now, is $13.33 The grand total I am spending per month on wet shaving goods is: *(Drumroll)* $18.63 (Probably a little high because I have not completely used up my first 10 pack of blades that I got from my local grocery store, or had my razors for long) This number will come down because I came into wet shaving for the economy and comfort, and am not interested in expanding my collection at this time. Plus, everything I buy (William's, VDH Deluxe, Brush, Blades) are all purchased locally which reinforces my local economy. My drugstore blades, and William's (not sure about VDH) create jobs here in the US, which is what we need right now in this tough economy. So I suppose that the moral of this story is to buy local. The only wet shaving product I have not been able to purchase locally are the razors.

I know the brush will wear out eventually, but I am not willing to spend the money on a badger hair brush that I cannot buy at my grocery store, or my drugstore. Even if they did bring one in, I probably would not pay the price.

Another tip: Put together a Poor Man's Shaving kit.

The basic kit essentials (This is probably the most it should include):

1. Razor (Get it online or from an antique store for under $10)
2. Drugstore blades (usually around $6)
3. Drugstore soap, or cream (This might be where you can splurge a bit. Nothing over $10. I think it would be okay to purchase some CO Bigelow from your local Bath and Body Works store.)
4. Bowl or mug from the kitchen (If it is absolutely necessary for lathering. I hand lather or face lather just to save time on cleanup. Plus you can store your drugstore soap in the containter it came in instead of buying a mug or other soap holding device.)
5. Witch Hazel, AS, ASB (pick one and only one and nothing over $8)
6. Soft washcloth (Which you should have anyways in your linen/bathroom closet/cupboard) Use it for hot/ cold towel treatments, and for application of Witch Hazel, or your choice of aftershave so you can save on cotton applicators.
7. A brush that is going to last you at least a year. (My VDH Natural is still going strong after a year and a half, and in my opinion is pretty soft, and really reliable. Plus you cannot beat the price for only$6. You can rub it on the spackled walls to soften it up sooner. Keep this budget under $25. This allows you room to buy a VDH Badger brush.)

The most you should spend on this kit is about $40-$50.

I realize that I have mentioned VDH products quite frequently, and by no means am I afilliated with them. It is what I have at my disposal at the local drugstore.

So, to conclude, the moral of my story is to shop and buy local. This limits most budgets, yet leaves room for small expirementation. That expirementation should should cure some of your AD. Also, keep your kit as bare bones as possible. You could even do it like my dad used to do in the late 50s and just use whatever soap is on the sink to save an extra little bit.

+1! work with what you have.
thanks!

 

[BigBull]

I applaud your write-up. Curious, when you refer to your local grocery or drugstore, are you referring to a Walgreens, CVS, Publix or other major chain type stores? Or are they true "Mom & Pop" type grocerers and pharmacies? I ask because I too REALLY try to support local businesses...and I don't qualify those listed as local. I personally would rather support a business like The Superior Shave (yes, for me it is local) who is run by 1 guy trying to support his family...or West Coast Shaving (which is also one guy on the opposite side of the country, trying to support his family and employing others in his business) or Merz in Chicago (again, family run)...my point being, just because it is local in your city doesn't mean your really supporting the small business economy (imho). When was the last time you saw CVS go out of business? Let the guys buying cart's buy from them. We should all be looking to support those in our community like BullGoose, Whipped Dog, RazorBladesandMore, Etc. Now, whether you choose to leave the states to order from a VintageScent or Connaught, for instance, would be different. Now, if it's bottom line cost you are going for...you are definitely going down the right path. To each his own, just my opinion.

 

[JoshuaNY]

I got my first 100 pack of baldes from Singapore, cant get much less local for me.

I try to buy locally whenever possible. I am more likely to spend an extra few bucks for a local item then getting it cheaper somewhere else. I always go to my local hardware store instead of Home Depot. But when it comes down to it, you can not get the quality items for wetshaving at your local stores. This is my face afterall and I only have 1. I have tried local blades and my face just does not like them. I worked my way through em, but it was not a happy experience.

When it comes to dragging a sharp object over my face I am willing to pay a bit extra for better items. Plus I was paying a crazy price for cartridges before so it was already in my budget. Now that extra money can go to a better brush or razor which with proper care can last a lifetime.

 

[Hubsche1]

buying blades online is normally way cheaper and you have access to more selection

+1. Bargain hunting and buying blades online= best way to save some cash!

 

[sychodelix]

What is this...saving money with wet shaving thing? I can't understand.

 

[bcraig.waciii]

I applaud your write-up. Curious, when you refer to your local grocery or drugstore, are you referring to a Walgreens, CVS, Publix or other major chain type stores? Or are they true "Mom & Pop" type grocerers and pharmacies? I ask because I too REALLY try to support local businesses...and I don't qualify those listed as local. I personally would rather support a business like The Superior Shave (yes, for me it is local) who is run by 1 guy trying to support his family...or West Coast Shaving (which is also one guy on the opposite side of the country, trying to support his family and employing others in his business) or Merz in Chicago (again, family run)...my point being, just because it is local in your city doesn't mean your really supporting the small business economy (imho). When was the last time you saw CVS go out of business? Let the guys buying cart's buy from them. We should all be looking to support those in our community like BullGoose, Whipped Dog, RazorBladesandMore, Etc. Now, whether you choose to leave the states to order from a VintageScent or Connaught, for instance, would be different. Now, if it's bottom line cost you are going for...you are definitely going down the right path. To each his own, just my opinion.

To answer your question, yes I do purchase from the true mom and pop stores in my city. (still a chain store but family owned and operated) I'm not going to give out any names because that might give up where I am located. I do also try to save my purchases for a small mom and pop outfit that has been in a little town not to far from where I live for more than 50 years. Nice old soda fountain that expanded into the drugstore type stuff.

I do agree with you on the fact that the large box stores (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart) don't deserve my buisness as far as what I can get at my local "mom and pop" outfit. They cost a little more, but are not that much higher in price. Plus they are the same blades/ products I would be getting over at the box stores. The only Big box store I would even consider purchasing at is Walgreens, considering that they are an american owned company. Still a large corporation though, so it is a tough call.

Also, I created this post in the hopes that it could help someone with the dilemmas of getting too deep into the AD problems that people have on this forum.

 

[bcraig.waciii]

I got my first 100 pack of baldes from Singapore, cant get much less local for me.

I try to buy locally whenever possible. I am more likely to spend an extra few bucks for a local item then getting it cheaper somewhere else. I always go to my local hardware store instead of Home Depot. But when it comes down to it, you can not get the quality items for wetshaving at your local stores. This is my face afterall and I only have 1. I have tried local blades and my face just does not like them. I worked my way through em, but it was not a happy experience.

When it comes to dragging a sharp object over my face I am willing to pay a bit extra for better items. Plus I was paying a crazy price for cartridges before so it was already in my budget. Now that extra money can go to a better brush or razor which with proper care can last a lifetime.

Again, the point of this post was to help people stay away from big purchases. Some things I agree can be purchased online for a much cheaper price, and may be a better quality. I was just trying to help people limit themselves, by buying only what is local, so they can protect their wallets. Otherwise they might as well be paying for the multi-blade cartridge razors that most people on this forum aren't too fond of.

 

[Double Edge]

[QUOTE= However many of the currently active members have been in here since last January, sorry to tell it again, but the member turnover brings up many of the same themes . . it was not finding a spare Sensor handle on any retailer's wall pegs that got me annoyed. I'd gotten so annoyed at my first Mach3 that I tossed it halfway through a test shave (the head fell off three times). I never tried any Fusion, and I got enough shaves from a package of Sensor cartridges that I wasn't feeling financially frustrated.

Looking for a Sensor on the 'Net eventually led here, and looking around my house for more than the singleton DE I had in regular use (weekends, at least), I found two spare Sensors, and Atras, and a TracII.

Bit off topic but just this Sensor comment is interesting to me. I shaved with one for the last almost two decades. I still like it.

In Sydney, Australia I can go to my local Coles supermarket and buy as many Sensor handles ($8AUD) and cartridges ($26AUD per 10) as I want.

Also Contour (which I think you call Atra) cartridges.

 

[JoshuaNY]

Again, the point of this post was to help people stay away from big purchases. Some things I agree can be purchased online for a much cheaper price, and may be a better quality. I was just trying to help people limit themselves, by buying only what is local, so they can protect their wallets. Otherwise they might as well be paying for the multi-blade cartridge razors that most people on this forum aren't too fond of.

I understand. Many people here are in it for the hobby of it and not just the necessity of shaving. And you were showing people that you can get quality shaves without making big purchases and I agree with you. One of the best shaves I had today was using innexpensive products.

But buying locally does not alway protect your wallet.

 

[BigBull]

I created this post in the hopes that it could help someone with the dilemmas of getting too deep into the AD problems that people have on this forum.

Like I said, I applaud you for that. I was simply trying to help those same people understand that this is a very small community, and we have vendors that carry what "we" wetshavers are specifically looking for..and we should support them as well. Unfortunately for me, the only stores that carry the "cheaper" stuff around here, are those Big Box stores.

I miss the old soda fountains! Cheers.

 

[SuperChris]

Again, the point of this post was to help people stay away from big purchases. Some things I agree can be purchased online for a much cheaper price, and may be a better quality. I was just trying to help people limit themselves, by buying only what is local, so they can protect their wallets. Otherwise they might as well be paying for the multi-blade cartridge razors that most people on this forum aren't too fond of.

many decent brands of blades can be had for $10 or less for a 100 pack, way easier on the wallet than spend $5 for 10 blades at a drug store

 

[bcraig.waciii]

Okay so you all have said that buying in bulk is better. I agree with that. I have still read many posts where people start buying on the internet, can't stop, and end up with a ton of stuff. So, if they keep their purchases local, they might protect themselves in the long run IMHO.

 

[bcraig.waciii]

Like I said, I applaud you for that. I was simply trying to help those same people understand that this is a very small community, and we have vendors that carry what "we" wetshavers are specifically looking for..and we should support them as well. Unfortunately for me, the only stores that carry the "cheaper" stuff around here, are those Big Box stores.

I miss the old soda fountains! Cheers.

And I applaud you for buying from these people. I see no problem with buying from someone who is trying to earn an honest dollar. There are too many people out there doing the other way these days.

 

[delamain]

I don't think that too many people on here are out of control with their spending. Most people, myself included, just opt for a bit of luxury and comfort.

Go to just about any hobbyist forum and you will hear talk of "AD" and most of it is in jest...

If I relied upon local businesses I would still be scraping a Mach 3 across my face. Sometimes it is not bad to branch out, a little.

Still, kudos to you for keeping this hobby economical. I personally get too much pleasure experimenting with different products to settle for one razor/blade/brush/aftershave just because it is the easiest to get.

 

[Robert45]

I switched from carts to DE at first to save money. But then it became a past time for me and I quit worrying about the cost. I can say that my spending on shaving is no where near the costs of my prior past times such as RC airplanes; photography; camping; railroading; hunting, fishing and boating; motocycling; wood-working; and others. I could buy the very best of shaving products and never come close to spending the money I have on these.

On the other hand, it's pretty neat to buy 100 blades for fourteen dollars and change!

 

[SOS]

Okay so you all have said that buying in bulk is better. I agree with that. I have still read many posts where people start buying on the internet, can't stop, and end up with a ton of stuff. So, if they keep their purchases local, they might protect themselves in the long run IMHO.

I hear where you're coming from but maybe folks want to have fun with shaving and spending a few bucks online buying somewhat exotic goods floats their boat.