saving money with DE shaving ?

[morgantruce]

Once upon a time, there were three very small companies supplying buggy whips to the hundred or so people still driving buggies. The owners of the three companies were just scratching by... until one of them decided to start a buggy whip forum on the web.

Two years later... the forum had attracted all of the buggy drivers, as well as thousands of others who thought it would be cool to drive a buggy. Millions of buggy whips were now being manufactured in several countries. People who found old buggy whips rotting away in the old family barn listed them for hundreds of dollars on eBay. This fueled a frenzy of buggy whip collectors who just had to have a buggy whip made in the year they were born. Other websites listed dates of manufacture and identifying features.

The three original small buggy whip manufacturers all had public stock offerings and it was reported in the Wall Street Journal that they actually got rid of their buggies and bought shiny new Jaguars.

------------

Yes this sounds a bit absurd, but here's the thing: over the past few years, I've been on at least a half dozen forums in which members competed with each other for a limited supply of various old items --- with everyone believing that the more they paid for these "antiques" the more valuable their "collection" became.

 

[SmurfK]

tell me exactly how am I saving money ? Lol

You are "shaving" money.

3 months in:



And i forgot to include in the photo one Floid aftershave and one brush.

Already looking at a straight and an adjustable, so yea, not gonna "save money" too soon. In the random jar are 3 Arko sticks.

 

[Slice McDermal]

I THOUGHT I was getting into a cheaper form of shaving, I did not realize that in fact I was starting a new hobby! Yes I'm spending WAY more than I did on disposables but I also have way more stuff now. If you look at the amount of money that ends up in the trash then I'm saving money even though I'm spending more lol

 

[Gusto]

I THOUGHT I was getting into a cheaper form of shaving, I did not realize that in fact I was starting a new hobby! Yes I'm spending WAY more than I did on disposables but I also have way more stuff now. If you look at the amount of money that ends up in the trash then I'm saving money even though I'm spending more lol

 

[bberg100]

To heck with savings. Starting the day with a thoroughly enjoyable shave is what it is all about. If I had to minimize and use the same brush/soap/razor/blade every day I may as well grab the Edge and M3. Deciding what to use each day and comparing it to yesterdays shave and how to make tomorrows even better. My shave is 15-30 minutes of ME time, frequently the only ME time I have all day.

 

[Edison Diplomat the 3rd]

To heck with savings. Starting the day with a thoroughly enjoyable shave is what it is all about. If I had to minimize and use the same brush/soap/razor/blade every day I may as well grab the Edge and M3. Deciding what to use each day and comparing it to yesterdays shave and how to make tomorrows even better. My shave is 15-30 minutes of ME time, frequently the only ME time I have all day.

This [emoji106]

 

[ZachK]

Lets face it, you could be quite happy with 1 brush, 1 Razor, and buying a box of blades and some cream or soap every so often. OK I have 7 creams in my drawer, so clearly this is not me. But I could probably make due with a $4 tube of Mem Olive every few months and a box of blades every 18 months and call it a day.

 

[morgantruce]

Lets face it, you could be quite happy with 1 brush, 1 Razor, and buying a box of blades and some cream or soap every so often.

This is me. I got lucky with a great DE razor to start with, but soon got a little carried away with buying another razor and brush. I came to my senses, gave away the extra stuff, and am now perfectly happy with a basic kit that works very well for me---and runs circles around all the disposables I had been wrecking my face with for years.

It's nice to have a hobby, but many times you find yourself in need of a special tool---and are not thrilled by what is commonly for sale. The internet is very good at taking someone who is searching for a good tool to use---and then converting him from a user into a collector. Tools that were date-stamped by the manufacturer seem to readily catch the attention of collectors. Good tools are great, but you simply cannot let every tool you need turn into a hobby.

Let me give you a tour of my basement:

• There's a shelf with four much-sought-after toasters from the 1950's. Those are "spares" ---after I already supplied myself and my daughters with perfect working Toastmaster 1B14 toasters from this era.
• There's a shelf with kerosene railroad lanterns. Earlier in my life, I needed ONE to milk a cow by.
• There's a shelf with pressure gasoline lamps. Never use them.
• There's a drawer full of old Stanley wood planes. Once in a blue moon, I reach for one. Well, they are nice.
• Let's not even begin to talk about guns... besides I don't keep them in the basement.

I'd be interested in hearing about your "collections"----especially if the urge to collect was fueled by an internet forum.

 

[julian0808]

The beauty of our little society is that none of us has the slightest need to be dictated to by some huge, multi national conglomerate that fixes prices in line with its competitors . In effect there is a shaving cartel out there.
By choosing DE shaving we have the right to chose whether we use a $5 puck of soap or a $50 puck. That's a good enough reason for anyone to save money if they so choose to.

 

[BobbyB]

I started using my current order of 100 Ladas blades (Italian Barberr $12.99) on 28 Nov 2014. Tomorrow, I will be on shave #7 with blade #23. That equates to 163 shaves, a 7.1 shaves per blade average , for a current unit cost of $0.0797 per shave. I have two year+ old brushes, and one 7 month old brush, all doing fine, and none costing more the $20.00 each. My two o my three tubes of shaving cream cost $3.99 / each, while the other was a mere $2.99 for the tube.

Yes, it does indeed save money.

HOWEVER, SWMBO, has INFORMED me that once we move into our new house next month, I WILL NOT have a razor / brush rack hanging from the bathroom walls. Therefore, any previous savings I have obtained, will have to be expended on some type of acceptable storage arrangement for me 'not in use' gear.

Alas, what a hard life we frugal shavers must live!!

 

[morgantruce]

SWMBO, has INFORMED me...

Maybe now would be a good time to go and buy a box of great big 16-penny nails... and leave them on your shaving shelf. When she inquires, tell her what they're for.

 

[Billski]

I am saving money.

I get quite a few shaves per blade.

And Colgate cream in the can is not expensive.

And not much cream needs to be used.

Any cream which is not needed can be be put on the bathroom ledge and used for the 2nd pass.

I'm good at saving money.