Shaving products are a huge business, and in a saturated market, brands like Gillette (owned by Procter & Gamble) and Schick (owned by Energizer) know the only way to grow is by increasing market share or by making products more expensive. Razor blades have evolved from single blades to 4+ blades cartridges, with price increases to match. Unfortunately, the increase in shaving performance did not increase by the same amount.

A typical Schick Quattro razor blade will cost about $10, with replacement blades costing about $2.50 each.

But there are other options. You just have to look beyond the drug store or department store. Shaving supplies can be found much cheaper at your specialty men’s grooming store.

For the past 2 years, I have been shaving using a double-edge safety razor with single blades. You can spend anywhere from about $25-$100 for the razor (or more if you really wanted). I purchased mine from Men Essentials, a great online store for men’s grooming products. But the secret is the replacement blades.

Double-edge safety razors use single razor blades. So you’re not getting the 4+ blades of the fancy commercial razors, but most of that is marketing hype. With a little practice using a double-edge razor, you’ll get the same quality shave at a fraction of the price. Why?

Double-edge razor blades cost as little as $0.15 each. Yes, that’s right. Less than 10% of the cost of Gillette or Schick replacement blades. Men Essentials sells blades in 5-packs for $1.25 (or $0.25 each), I recently purchased a package of 100 Derby razor blades for about $15 on eBay, and similar deals deals are always available.

So I urge all men to give double-edge razor shaving a try. For some, it takes a little getting used to. But you’ll save a ton of money, and at the same time, reduce waste. A single razor blade is a lot less to be throwing out than a multi-blade plastic cartridge.

Bonus: Here’s an article to get you started shaving with a double-edge safety razor.

That’s why, whenever I get tired of my usual hairstyle, I turn to buzz cutting my own hair. All it takes is a good quality trimmer, and a bit of time and patience.

I use the Wahl Peanut hair clipper, and I love it. A good quality clipper makes all the difference; not only is it easier, but the process goes about twice as fast. Avoid wireless clippers because they decrease in performance as the batteries drain. And you’ll most likely be buzzing in the bathroom right next to a plug anyway. You don’t need anything gimmicky; solid and utilitarian is what you need.

Your first time buzzing your hair will probably take longer than you’d like it, and you’ll probably find stray long hairs for days to come. But believe me, it gets much easier with practice. You’ll learn to understand the sound of the clippers as it goes through your hair, and develop techniques to make things go easier.

For your first time, checkout this site dedicated to the buzz cut. It has some great tips for developing your technique.

The other benefits of buzzing your hair? Think of all that time saved in the morning because you didn’t have to style your hair. And the money saved in hair product. And avoiding hat-hair in the winter.