Shaving private parts

I don't like to be all hairy down there (because I'm VERY hairy down there!!) Sometimes I have it waxed but where I live it's very very expensive and I can't afford to do it very often. I also tried waxing it myself but it's so painful and not very effective. So usually I just shave. The problem is that I hate how it looks 2 days after.... It looks like a man's beard. I really hate it and makes me very self conscious when being intimate with my partner. It's not long enough to shave again and yet it's very scratchy and unpleasant to the touch. Does anyone have any suggestions, tips or tricks?