Is Wet Shaving Saving YOU Money?

[grim]

Not that it's a bad thing, but perhaps a Minimalist guide would be handy to point noobs and veterans alike to.

That would be a good idea for those those switching to save money if they truly want to be frugal. There ought to be a sticky or wiki somewhere. How do I do this frugally?

 

[_Brad]

That would be a good idea for those those switching to save money if they truly want to be frugal. There ought to be a sticky or wiki somewhere. How do I do this frugally?

Yeah, the occasional minimalist threads have good info in them, like http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/470081-Your-Favorite-Minimalist-Shave. When I was first picking up gear I read so many glowing reviews of products here that it took a bit of money to realize there is no shaving "silver bullet," and most products if they work, work comparable to just anything else with pretty minor variations.

The key I think to being frugal here is to realize when there's an actual difference. For instance, I'd say Sterling Soaps work just like Mystic Water. If you want to save money there's no reason to try both. Or a tech, popular, and super speed do all shave slightly different, but they're pretty similar. New and Old types in the same boat. So you might want to try a Tech and a NEW even if being frugal but not also a super speed unless you were dialing in on that Tech experience.

 

[BlackBard]

I have always been a wet shaver, but returning to a DE has saved me money. I use two Astra SP blades per month, compared to two Mach3 carts per month. Everything else has remained the same.

 

[euro]

I'm a minimalist shaver and I really stopped caring about different products. When I started all I wanted was a good shave and every time when I shave I get a BBS so I'm happy because I hated shaving! I get no ingrown hairs, irritations etc which I used to get when I used a M3 and Fusion.

I do have a couple different soaps and blades but I keep it at a minimal. When I finish those soaps I will stick to my current setup forever.

In case anyone wondered here is my gear:

Razor: FaTip Piccolo
Balde: Permasharp (often I use Astra SP as I had bought 200 of them before I discovered Permasharp)
Brush: Semogue 830
Bowl: A simple ceramic bowl I found in the kitchen lol
Shaving cream: Proraso Green
Aftershave: Proraso Green
Pre shave: Olive oil

I do save a lot of money, but I have an another hobby that costs even more: cigars. So I do understand that people spend a lot of money in their hobby it's something we enjoy. People who say that any hobby is a waste of money are usually people who don't know how to enjoy life.

 

[Grandpa Pipes]

No savings here, but an addictive hobby for sure.

I don't spend much anymore. But I shudder to try and calculate what I've spent since starting this a little over a year ago.
Funniest part I've found is that I literally have enough hardware and software to last 3 people a lifetime plus more, and I still buy more stuff. ... hmm.

Sad to say but the only sure way to keep expenses low is to stop reading B/B !!!


No!! I didn't just say that!

 

[doctopus]

I started it to save money, and after the initial investment in just now starting to see the savings add up, I don't have to buy anything for shaving for the next 2 years & my total investment was around AU$100. That along with how much better my face feels is just a win-win for me

 

[Useless shaver]

I see where are you, guys....

Here, a lot of money... but not too much (except if you asked SWMBO... and she exactly knew the number...)

 

[HikerDoc]

DE shaving can be cheaper than carts, but as with everything costs will vary. I was able to use a single fusion cartridge for months at a time. That's something like $1/month. I get 4 shaves out of a DE blade at say $0.15 per DE blade, the DE blades cost $1.15 per month.

In the mean time, I have spent more money on various ADs that now it is too late to ever make up for my initial investment compared with what I would have spent on carts over the course of my life.

 

[Cornellius]

Considering that there is a larger up front investment when going the traditional wet shave route, I've estimated that it will take me approximately 5 years to break even. After that I plan to start saving at least a little money every year since blades are so much cheaper than cartridges, and i'll already have a razor, brush, and all the other extras.

Originally saving money was my main reason for switching over, now I really enjoy shaving; so even if I don't save much I'll still be glad I switched.

 

[grim]

I was able to use a single fusion cartridge for months at a time. .

Wow!

 

[GreggJ]

Save Money..... Heck no. I could have gold plated Mach XX or whatever cartridges they are selling now. But, I am enjoying myself and turned a chore into one of lifes pleasures... You can't put a price on that, or can you.

 

[grim]

I am enjoying myself and turned a chore into one of lifes pleasures... You can't put a price on that, or can you.

That's an interesting sentence "I ... turned a chore into one of life's pleasures".

There is nothing new here. Men have shaved this way for over 120 years. Do you think our fathers and grandfathers viewed wet shaving a chore or a pleasure?

 

[aldomarino]

Is wet shaving saving me money?

Is this a trick question?

 

[GreggJ]

That's an interesting sentence "I ... turned a chore into one of life's pleasures".

There is nothing new here. Men have shaved this way for over 120 years. Do you think our fathers and grandfathers viewed wet shaving a chore or a pleasure?

Without a doubt a chore. But, I fear that they did not the knowledge, or access to the knowledge, and products that we have today. After running a mechanical cheese grater over my face for 20 years and dealing with the corresponding irritation and dry skin. Wet Shaving provides a far more pleasurable experience and outcome. I also find that it forces me to to slow down and enjoy the moment. The products available today are exceptional and if properly appreciated it can certainly be classified as enjoyable. There are still days when I want to stay in bed and not have to deal with the tediousness of shaving but, those days are a rarity rather than a daily occurrence, which it was previously.

 

[grim]

Without a doubt a chore. But, I fear that they did not the knowledge, or access to the knowledge, and products that we have today.

You think? If you read closely what people are using here, sure, some buy, at least IMO, ridiculous amounts of consumable products. But some are reasonable. Some buy antique DE razors, the same used by our fathers and grandfathers. Consumables are the same, possibly reformulated, but I'll guess close to the same.

Arko started in 1957. Proraso in 1948. I'll guess there was little to no access to the high end British stuff like Trumpers or T&F until the Internet came around, but I'm not so sure that they didn't have the knowledge. I'll guess they had MORE knowledge. In fact, its all they knew. Perhaps access to products was more limited, but what I don't know is the products that were WIDELY available say in 1955 in every corner grocery store that have long since gone out of business.

Today I go to the grocery store and see no blade - none, and one soap, Williams. I'll guess our grandfathers had access to Far, Far more variety of blades and soaps than we could ever see in person (without going to one of the fancy internet stores specializing in these products).

And yet, my guess too is it was a chore, a mundane, everyday thing one had to do to fit into society.

 

[coyotewhisper]

Traditional wet shaving can not be viewed in dollars for myself. I do not treat this as a hobby, as my personal grooming the benefits outweigh the output of money.

 

[cvargo]

I am now in this for over a year. In that first year I spent way more than I needed to. Now I am slowing down

 

[Beard Dregs]

It was a bit more money up front to convert, but it's atleast a wash by now if not saving. Amazon has 100 blades of most anything under $15, vs $2.50 each mach3 carts... so there's a bit more money to play with for shaving now.

Plus i've got fairly cheap tastes so far, VDH soaps, <$10 aftershaves.

Maybe i don't really *need* a cased gold fat handle tech to go with my travel tech or my ball end tech, but it's cheaper than a pack of 8 carts so why not? Already lasted a lifetime, probably will outlast me... or the carts that are all smoked in months.

 

[Xalmg]

Saving no . Spending money and became happy.

 

[Drbo]

The initial cost was more. But I am pretty frugal and have found some really great soaps that are low cost. I tend to get the more expensive creams and soaps as gifts and each puck or tube lasts me a few months. So, I am saving money. Also my brother and I share products on occasion and send each other a puck or blades to try.