Since it’s time to buy to by them (again), I’d like to share how I save money on razor blades. I shave daily, and I use disposable blades. I use the Gillette Mach III razor; the blades are a bit pricey.
It’s the little things that mater. save money on razors
Since it’s time to buy to by them (again), I’d like to share how I save money on razor blades. I shave daily, and I use disposable blades. I use the Gillette Mach III razor; the blades are a bit pricey.
Are you wondering why a guy who preaches “cheap” buys name-brand blades? The reason is satisfaction—the same reason I use coupons to buy a good brand of toilet paper, rather than generic. (See my post Eat At Home.)
For years I used cheap, plastic, disposable razors. Over time they got cheaper, and I’m not talking about price. Several years ago, I realized that (sometimes) I’d get a good shave with them, but more often than not the blades weren’t sharp enough or angled right to cut my beard. They just pulled out the hairs, and left scrapes and nicks. I tried a number of different inexpensive brands and found this to be true across the board. Sometimes I got a nice, close shave. Sometimes I looked like I’d been in a fight. I don’t think this has so much to do with brand. More likely, it is a batch issue—dependent on the quality of material the manufacturer is working with. I think it’s possible that the companies making “better” blades have better quality control.
I became an enthusiast for better razor blades a few years ago. At the time, I was with the Army at Camp Parks in California during the summer. It was extremely hot.
Daily shaves are required of male soldiers: I had my usual 10-pack of cheap razors and they were tearing up my face. (Do you know what sweat feels like on raw skin? Not good, I’ll tell you that!) Of course, I complained. Well, one of my fellow soldiers had compassion, and said I could try his razor and a spare blade. Immediately, I was sold on the quality of shave, and I still am. As soon as I could, I bought a handle and my first package of blades. But, as much as I love my razor and the shave it gives me, I don’t like how expensive the blades are. The fact is, at full-price I’d have to spend about $15 every time I needed to buy replacements. (That would be about every two weeks.)
OK, you know that I’m into reducing my costs as much as possible. So, here are a few things I’ve figured out so that I can actually save money on razor blades:
1) I use each razor blade three times before I dispose of it. After each shave I clean the area between the blades by gently tapping it on the sink and running water over it so any trap hair is removed. After I am sure all the hair is gone (A quick look between the blades does the job.), I dry it and put back in the case. By doing this, I get 3 shaves for the price of one. By the way, my beard is very wiry–not silky at all. That I can reuse a blade says a lot for its durability.
2) Use coupons. In reality, I seldom find coupons for my particular brand, but I have seen them for other brands that might deliver an equivalent shave. (I just really like my razor and feel that by taking care of the blades, I get value for my money.)
3) Look for online sites that sell the blades. Some of these sites offer free shipping if the order reaches a certain dollar amount. Just be sure the price of the blades hasn’t been inflated to compensate for the cost of shipping.
4) Buy in bulk. At Wal-Mart (as of this writing) a pack of five of my razor blades costs $14.47; that makes each blade cost about $2.89. If I buy three of these five-packs, I spend $43.41, and each blade will still cost $2.89. However, these blades also come in a pack of fifteen. The price of the fifteen-pack is $33.97. At this price the blades cost about $2.26 each. That’s a $0.63 difference per blade. If I buy the 15-pack, it’s a savings of $9.44: Rather like getting three blades for free.
Save money on razor blades
Now, on the spur of the moment there is a considerable difference between spending close to $35 dollars and spending $15. That’s where planning comes in. I know how much I’m going to spend on razor blades and how often I’ll need to buy them. I can take a few weeks between purchases to get my money together.
By living frugally—planning ahead, buying in bulk, and extending the life of the blades—I’ve reduced my cost per shave from about $2.89 to roughly $0.75. I really do save money on razor blades.
Here’s one more really practical note: Using better blades, I get nicked less often. This is a good thing when I’m in a meeting—promoting an idea, a product, or myself: Presentation can = Success (or even better, Money)!
Never miss another post follow me on Facebook