Joe Levi:
a cross-discipline, multi-dimensional problem solver who thinks outside the box – but within reality™

Frugal Tip: Alternate to Shaving Gels and Creams

No, this isn’t the “how to shave for less money” blog, though it’s starting to sound like it. Hang in there with me!

When I was a boy I just had to shave like my dad did, even though I didn’t even have peach fuzz. That meant lathering up with some of his Barbasol shaving cream until I looked like Santa Claus. Of course, later in life I learned that’s far too much shaving cream, you only want a very thin layer, just enough to lubricate the blade as its sliding across your skin.

How much does a bottle of Barbasol go for today? Right around $3 for their original formula or $5 for their “sensitive skin” formula. Similar Gillette products are prices about the same.

How long does a bottle last? In my experiences, each can lasts about a month (depending on frequency and amount of use, of course). That’s $50 per year in shaving cream — unless you have children who like to look like Santa Claus, then it’s easily twice that amount. Sorry, Dad.

An Alternative

I haven’t used shaving creams or gels in almost ten years now, and honestly I don’t miss it.

Instead I have a shaving mug with shave soap in the bottom of it: $1.99 for the soap, the “coffee mug” came free with a father’s day gift of cologne; if you can’t repurpose an old coffee mug you might have to spend a dollar to pick one up at the local thrift or dollar store.

We’re up to $3 so far, but we still need to get a shaving brush to make it all work. I found the brush I use for $4.17 here. That really jacks up the price for this tip, we’re up to $7.17 for the first year.

Crunching the numbers

Our “modern” solution will cost us about $48 the first year and every subsequent (we’re averaging the low-end with the high-end products mentioned above).

The “traditional” solution will cost us $7.17 the first year, but each additional year is FREE. My shave soap has lasted me the entire time I’ve been using this system, and still has some left in it. I’m going to call it a 10 year solution, though it may well last 11.

So, for 10 years the modern method will cost us about $480, whereas the traditional method will cost us $7.17. That’s a savings of $472.83 over the life of the soap, or $47.283 annually.

Total Tip Savings

So far we’ve got two tips, and they’re starting to add up! Let’s see where we are now.

Frugal Tip Annual Savings
How can you Shave and Save? $27.88
Alternate to Shaving Gels and Creams $47.28

We’re making some real progress now! Tune in for our next Frugal Tip!

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