Tao Economics

This is the end all be all guide to saving money on razor blades, getting them for free, making them last for ever, and getting paid. Yes. I said getting paid.

First and foremost trying to be a cheap bastard when it comes to saving money on razor blades is actually a small part to a much bigger and important point... and that is to slash your costs while having income come at you from all different directions so that one day you may not even care what razor blades cost. For this fantastic and ultimate lesson I will now point you the grand masters of living a life that's free from 'da man'. I direct you to, “The League of Power”. It's a newsletter on finding you business opportunities, saving money, and investing... Oh and it's free. You are welcome.

The absolute cheapest and easiest way to save on razor blades IS... to grow a beard! There, I had to get the most obvious out of the way. If you do decide to say, “forget shaving!” then you will likely need some beard trimmers. But since you found this page you are probably more like me, in that you feel funny any time your scruff gets to a certain point that you start rubbing your face with your hands telling your lady how you need to shave.

Now, let me tell you how to make your blades last a long time. Water dulls blades. We know this, but we continue to do dumb things that dull our blades. Lets go over them. If you shave in the shower, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BLADES IN THE SHOWER. Water is everywhere in the shower, take them out and put them by the sink sticking out of a mug or glass jar.

Next DO NOT put that plastic cap back on your razor blade! If little teeny tiny droplets of water are still on the blade, then you are trapping the water in the blade when you put that plastic cap back on. There that's easy.

Next! Does your wife/girlfriend have a blow dryer? Every time you shave put the blow dryer on high and dry your razor blade. Guys, if you are single then get a girlfriend. If you are re-reading this article two weeks later and don't have a girlfriend then go down to the local Goodwill or second hand store and buy a cheap blow dryer. Now when you do get a girlfriend and she comes over you can make her jealous and tell her your ex must have left the blow dryer over. This one simple act that takes barely any time will extend the life of your razors immensely. DO IT.

Guess what? You can sharpen disposable razor blades! Please, do NOT buy those cheap crappy plastic razor blade “sharpeners” that you see on TV. They are junk and you will never use them. Now assuming you have a disposable razor with no added lubrication on it, or it's already been used up, then you can sharpen your disposable blade. All you have to do is grab an old pair of jeans and push the razor against the jeans in the opposite direction that you would normally shave. Confused? Don't worry here's a quick video.

If you want something better then a pair of jeans, this blade sharpener has great reviews on Amazon.com.

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**Warning this section is VERY experimental, and I have not personally tried this yet and should only be tried 2nd to drying your freaking razor**

Lets dive into some mysticism and science for a bit (bare with me). First the mysticism. There is a book called, “Amazing and Wonderful Mind Machines You Can Build”. In this book it states, “Tetrahedral (six sides) pyramids made from electrically non-conducting materials (rubber, plastic, and wood) have been used to maintain sharp cutting edges on steel instruments , dehydrate or mummify organic materials, and improve the growth rates of plants.” How the pyramid actually works is unknown, but some how the Egyptians figured it out (they probably learned it from hairy aliens). In the book it gives you a interesting history on using the pyramid, and shows you how to make one for yourself. They did a test to see if it kept razor blades sharp using cardboard pyramids. The razor blade that was placed in the pyramid after each shave lasted 8 times longer then the one that was just stuck in the drawer! Not to self, make cardboard pyramid.

There are devices out there that use magnets to keep you razor straight. I have not used one of these myself, but if they do work why not stick in your pyramid?
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Lets save some money when we actually buy our razors. Look in the Sunday paper for any coupons. The last time I did this I found a coupon for the Bic Flex three. It was a buy one get one free, and here is the best part, the package I was buying had a 2 blade bonus for a total of six blades in one package! In total I came out with 12 blades for the price of 4! What a deal! If your to lazy to buy a paper or swipe your neighbors then you can also print coupons off of the manufactures website. You have no excuse!

New company takes on Gillette and you win.

The Dollar Shave Club did it's research and found some great cheap razors and is passing the savings on to you. They are getting blades dirt cheap and shipping them to you at a low cost every month. The blades start as low as $1 for 5 cartridges a month. Isn't competition great? If you haven't seen the really funny marketing video they put out (for only $4,500), then watch now!

Here is the best part. If you refer Dollar Shave Club to your friends then you get one month free for every friend you send!

How to make the razor blade man pay you.

This one is simple and fun. Gillette is owned by a much larger company that you probably have heard. This company sells many things using brand names that you are very familiar with, soap, shampoo, beauty products, deodorant, and detergent just to name a few. I'm talking about of course The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG). Right now P&G will pay you a 3.14% dividend (much better than what you would get at the bank). They have paid and increased their dividend for years and years. You can even enroll in the dividend re-investment program without a broker here: http://www.pg.com/en_US/downloads/investors/shareholder_services/Editable_Auto_Invest.pdf

Disclosure, I currently do not own any PG stock, but reserve the right to after two weeks of posting this entry.

There you have it. The ultimate guide on getting free razors, making them last a VERY long time, all while getting paid by the man.