Wet Shaving a Cheaper Alternative, You Are Kidding? Right?

OK, we've all seen this:
Why Wetshave?
So why would you spend the time to re-learn something that you’ve been doing since you were a teenager and risk slicing your damn ear off? Do these sound appealing?

• Wetshaving gives a much better shave
• It’s much, much cheaper
• Wetshaving wastes less, and spares our landfills
• It’s about the manliest thing you can do
• You can rest assured that you’re not being suckered by big business

Really cheaper? This reminds me of the time I bought a motorcycle and told my wife it would save $$ on gas, etc. Whereas I immediately stuck a bunch of $$ into chrome and other farkles, while riding a hundred miles to get a cup of coffee

I remember just reading a post where one forum brother had a couple dozen shaving soaps alone.
So....do any of you actually believe this saving money thing? How many of you have one razor, brush and soap??

 

It's possible to be very frugal. I have been doing it all month without issues. Microtouch 1 + Arko + Derby + Generic Chinese Badger/Cat brush.

 

I can assure you I'm not saving money. But I sure am enjoying myself.

 

Now there's an honest man!

 

I own 2 brushes. One cost me just under $20; the other was a gift. Neither of my razors cost more than $30. More than half of the soap in my den was gifted or otherwise PIFed to me. I spent much less money wetshaving in the past year than I would have spent on cartridges and cans of shaving cream in that same time period, as each purchase of those was over $30, and was roughly every 36 days.

 

I don't think there are many wet-shavers who left cartridge razors and canned foam behind that believe they are actually saving money. Perhaps some are—one razor, some blades, one brush, a puck of soap or tube of cream, some aftershave and…boom! That's it! Cheaper than the pricy cartridge habit.
However, primarily I would venture to say that most here consider wet-shaving more of a ritual and a hobby—complete with a varied assortment of paraphernalia.
Secondarily, most wouldn't go back to the 'old method' of carts, no matter the cost of modern wet-shaving.

 

You will save money if you keep it in perspective and treat like it should be treated, shaving, and not a hobby. Everyone on this site (including myself) only needs 1 brush, 1 razor, 1 soap/cream, 1 bowl/mug & a dozen or so blades, an AS/ASB or two and that's it. When the soap and blades get low, replenish. The problem is when it becomes a hobby it will get expensive! I own way more than I need and not everything that I want. I guess I enjoy my hobby............

 

I agree with what all of you are saying. I just got a kick, immediately after reading the "save money" thing I too am prone to such acquisition disorders. Believe me, the shaving gig appears to be much more affordable than having GAS (guitar acquisition disorder)

 

You are my hero!

 

I spend most of my money on soft products which I would be doing with a cartridge too. I was using a brush and soaps with my sensor. Swapping to a DE has saved money over cartridges. A remei and a sampler of blades in the astra price range will get farther than the 5 cartridges that same money would buy. A couple of generous PIF have kept my AD at bay... So far. I see that streak ending soon though.

 

Although I've never actually taken the time to compare the costs side by side, because I get such "FANTASTIC" shaves now compared to when I used carts(30 miserable years) I really don't care what traditional saving costs. That said no matter what, it cost me more, because if it wasn't for "traditional" shaving I'd have a beard!
As @HolyRollah and @LaSalle82 said once you remove the hobby aspect of "traditional" shaving it definitely is a "MUCH" cheaper way to shave!!

 

I use 1 razor, 1 brush, 1 soap, 1 blade.





at a time

 

If you're looking at the cost of all the products and paraphernalia one may have on hand, then, yeah, most folks have spent more over that time of acquisition than they might have sticking with carts and goo.

BUT, if you're going to compare the cost per shave of now vs. then, then one is most certainly saving money.

 

For the first couple years, I spent more than I should on gear and definitely did not save any money. The last couple of years I have not spent much of anything on shaving. This year I grabbed 200 of the Russian blades for $16 shipped to me. That is likely to be my only purchase for the year and I would have skipped it if it wasn't such a deal. If I live long enough and use the gear I have, then yes I might save a little money overall. Regardless, the shaves are much nicer than the canned goop and cartridges.

 

Money can be saved by wet shaving.

Just not by me.

 

Ain't that the truth!

 

Yup! That's how I justify it to myself. I leave aside the fact that I can keep going til I'm about 190 years old!

 

Throw guns in the mix and shaving really is the cheapy of the hobbies

 

Yup...got that disease too!

 

I don't think I've spent any money on shaving since around August when No Buy July ended, and that was mainly to burn some credit I had at a place.