When it comes to shaving, do you think about the cost? Chances are you don’t, but you really should.

Whether you are a man or woman, shaving is a necessary part of looking good. Now, I know there are men out there that love their beards and mustaches and that is fine. For those of you who like a clean shaven face, or the woman who wants smooth legs, this is for you! This article will cover the cost of the blades you buy, how much does it cost, are there alternatives and some suggestions.

One of the biggest costs is the blades of course. As of this post, the most blades I have seen is a 6 blade cartridge. Some even include an extra blade on the back for small touch up. So I guess you can say there are 7 blades.Have you thought about how much these mega blades cost?

Think about it. the typical 6 blade cartridge can cost you up to $4.00 each. That cartridge may last up to 5 shaves, but I wouldn’t push it to that long unless you like nicks and cuts and irritated skin. Let’s assume you can get 4 good shaves out of one cartridge. That’s $1.00 per shave. If you shave every day, you are looking at using about 91 cartridges a year. So, 91 cartridges at $4.00 apiece will cost you approximately $364.00 per year just for the blades. (Have you noticed that blade manufacturers include a handle for free? It’s not really free. You paid for it; you just didn’t know.)

Next time you go to the store, check out the shaving section. There are all kinds of options from twin blade, up to the massive 7 blade I mentioned earlier. You will be surprised at the prices. For you ladies out there, here is another thing you should notice. Blade companies take advantage of you by offering razors and blade that are in pastel colors and fancy packaging that catches your eye. If you find a women’s razor and blade combo, find the same type that may be colored to attract a man; darker colors, steel, chrome, etc. I bet the same razor/blade package for a woman costs more than the one for a man. Why do they do that? To simply make more money. They figure women will pay the price for a “pretty looking” razor and make you pay extra for it. Why??? This is just a razor. You are not wearing it out on a date or fancy place. It sits in your bathroom or shower (which I will talk about storage in another article)

Ladies, you do not need to be taken advantage of by these gimmicks. Buy the same razor a man uses. It is the same exact blade and handle. It may have subtle differences in looks, but it is essentially the same. The blades are not sharper or smoother. The women’s version just look prettier. If you want pretty, go ahead and pay more for it, but to be honest, save that money on more important things…you’ll thank me later.

Now you need to decide how many blades do you really need. Realistically, you only need one blade. The blade manufacturers come up wit the craziest blade designs and add more and more blades so they can charge you more and more. They add lubricated strip which are not necessary if you do your shave prep properly.

Have you ever considered using a single blade safety razor? Yes, I am talking about the one that your grandfather or great grandfather may have used. They are still made today on different handle lengths Some have butterfly openings and some you neeed to unscrew apart to place your blade. Either way, it is pretty much the simplest way to shave and it is also the most inexpensive was to shave. Plus, a good razor can last you a lifetime. Try to get that with the free ones they give you in a package. You will be lucky if it lasts a couple years A good safety razor can cost from $10 to over $100, but you only have to buy it once. I still have my first butterfly razor that I bout about 10 years ago for $10 and it still works like a champ. After that, you only have to buy double edged blades which are very inexpensive. DE (Double Edge) blades can cost from 25 cents down to 9 cents each. You can even get 4-5 shaves out of a single blade too.

Look at the cost difference. Assuming you shave every day, It will cost you between 2 cents and 7 cents per shave.A big saving compared to $1.00 per shave. So for one year of shaving, it will cost you from about $7.00 to $25.00 A YEAR! If you buy the most expensive blades, you are saving about $340.00 per year.

The big question is would you rather spend as little as $7.00 a year or as much as $365.00 per year on blades? The choice is yours.

Next article, I will discuss DE razors and what you need to know.

Happy Shaving!