How Much Do You Think It Cost You?

I'm another Diva Cup convert, and I use cloth for backup. Started out because I'm allergic to disposable products, and the cost savings astounded me!

With substantial breaks due to pregnancy and BF, I've spent less than $100 for 10+ years of feminine hygiene products. And I'm set for the next several years.

That's a lot more money available for good chocolate!

I switched to a Diva cup years ago.
It's easy, comfortable, I'm not filling up a landfill and I love all the money I save.
Only a few more years and I should be done (menopause is almost here).

I use the Diva Cup - it is $35 to buy one, but lasts a couple of years. If I use it for only 2 years before buying a new one, that's $0.73/month. Not bad!

What gets me is the cost of bras. It's $50 for a good one!

Have you thought about a diva cup? Convenient, green, and inexpensive.

One costs $20-30 depending where you get it and they last for quite a while.

I am lucky enough to have had a complete hysterectomy almost 10 yrs ago and LOVE my life. However, my 16 yr old goes through supplies...

I honestly don't know exactly what I pay...

Midol.. $5? purchased about once every 6 months
tampons - playtex $7 per box
pads for night - about $4 ( she likes Target brand on that one)
liners - $4 (Target brand)

I stock her up about once every 3 months... I just buy a huge load of everything and when she gets to the last box, she tells me and I stock up again.

Yes, we women are expensive ---- but we are worth it!!

Are you buying gold tampons??? A box of generic here is about 3-4 and name brand 5-6. I spend about $8 a month not counting an occasional advil and the extra chocolate.....speaking of chocolate I could really go for Reese peanut butter cups if the hubby knows what's good for him he'll bring some home.

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Ha ha ha, I have a Mirena... no longer having a period: Priceless!

You pay $10 and $8 for tampons and pads?!? Use store brands-they're the same thing! I pay $2-$4 a box for Target or Kroger tampons depending on whether it's small or large count. Pads at either store cost about $3 a bag. Same for CVS. Even name brands are only $4-$6 bucks. Watch where you shop and give the store brands a try. They've been perfect for me!

~~ Another "cup" convert here too!
I bought a cup called "The Keeper". http://www.keeper.com/
There's also the Diva Cup. http://www.divacup.com

You HAVE to be able to handle/seeing blood though since mentral cups hold the blood not absorb it. But the keeper cup only costs ~$35 for 10years of use. Diva was about $40

Is so WORTH it. I will admit that it takes a little getting used to and some practice because you have to be able to pop that puppy inside (nothing worse then trying to put in a diaphram though! and lots easier to get out, lol). I will still use panty liners on the first couple days of my period just in cause i don't get it on just right or I wait too long and the cup overfills. But still, a $1 pack of panty liners lasts me close to a year. lol!

Mama cloth and Diva cups. SAVES ME TONS! I highly suggest switching. I like the fuzzibunz pads. It feels like I'm sitting on a cloud :D

Funny you mention it b/c I b**** ,everytime I have to buy tampons / related items. They are expensive.

Yep--I have! I have always believed that the govt should send us 12 boxes of tampons or pads (your choice) every January! LOL

I see lots of mentions of chocolate (me too) but no mention about the price of beer! That's l like what 8 bucks for a six pack? (bottle)

That really sucks to think about, doesn't it??? In a few years, I'll have all my daughter's supplies to buy too. Just when we thought we'd have less expenses with no diapers....it's always something!

Its Disturbing Isn't it?? LOL

There SO MANY other things I'd rather be spending that $$ on .........

But wouldn't trade being a Woman for anything ;-)

@Jennifer S. ~ NO KIDDING right?? Sam Adams just about $10 bucks for a 6pack sooo worth it tho

Where are you buying that stuff? Go generic girl! I might spend $30 a year. Walmart brand 40 pack is like $3.50, panty liners are $4 for 100 pack.

Diva cup...$40 purchase three years ago. Current cost $0.00

YAHOO!!!! i don't have to worry about this any more!!! YAHOO!!!!

i've got two boys!!!! YAHOO!!!

My daughter is grown and on her own!! YAHOO!!!!

Sorry - had to celebrate...

yes, being a W. is expensive!! I always told Bob I'm all the W. you will EVER need!!!

You forgot the Midol and the chocolate! ;-) And the bloated pants.

10 bucks for a box of tampons? Where the heck do you shop? Store brand (CVS, Walgreens) are just as good as name brands.
But, yes being a woman is expensive.....the chocolate is ridiculous...and of course you left out acne cream for the outbreak that accompanies the poor eating!
I have two boys so its just me, luckily!

OK, I'm getting ready to leave for the day so I don't have time to read your other responses. I apologize if I'm duplicating another answer, but why didn't you add in the cost of Midol or ibuprophen, chocolate, salty snacks, etc. When you add that in there you're talking like a bazillion dollars a year, right??

I think you ladies are reading this too literally. She's just saying it's expensive and we'd much rather be spending that money on something else. You girls are funny!

I've never thought of the cost of getting a period before! What great food for thought. I would guess that I spend $100+ a year on pads, tampons, and my beloved Midol. That would buy a nice pair of shoes, or a LOT of purses at TJ Maxx, a few nice lunches with friends......depressing!

Want another to think about? Calculate how many years of your life you spend with a period. I've done that before. So far at age 34 I've spent 3.5 years of my life bleeding. Let's say my period continues as is till I'm 50. You can tack on another year and a half to that. This doesn't even account for going longer, the stop and go periods of menopause, and the days of PMS before or after you get your period and all that. That's 5 years of my life wasted on periods!!! UGH!!

Yup, this is the sort of nonsense I play with all the time. When I run into people that say they get by on so much less money than I do and there must be something wrong with me...I can't help but think about these kinds of expenses. I've raised 4 daughters as well...LOL

That's an interesting thought R.! For me it's $280 a year in copays for my BCP which eliminates 8 periods a year. It's worth every penny to avoid the misery of periods though!
Then replace the diva cup every 2-3 years so add $10 - $15, but subtract the $ I no longer have to shell out for other birth control devices....

I only wear Kotex pads and wait for them to go on sale. I got a 40 count pack price matched at Walmart. Normally $6, I got on sale for $1.50. I bought 20 packs! That will last me about 4 years. Granted, this is the best deal I found on them, but I can still usually get them about $3 every 6 months or so. I was lucky to get there right after stocking. Usually I can only find 2 or 3 packs on the shelf. I was dancing a jig about how much money I saved!

I don't have to buy nearly as much as you do. I go through a large box of tampons about every 3-4 months and a pack of pads about 2x a year. I use liners at the end of my period and only need a few per cycle. So I say about $21.00 every 4 months, is about $63.00 a year. I don't get cramps or cravings, so I guess I've got it pretty easy.

I generally have never had consistent periods, and I spent 12 years on depo - which means I had NO periods, or very few in that time frame. When I do get my periods, it's usually light enough that when I'm around home I'll just wad up some toilet paper... if I go out, I can use 2 tampons for the whole day.

I never really considered the cost of having a period...

Heck ya it is! I try not to think about the cost. I save my coupons and hunt for sales!

I use coupons and pair w/sales. I generally get 2 boxes of tampons for about $3 sometimes less if a really good sale/coupon comes. Last month I made a $1 buying a box!!! I only use about 1/4 - 1/2 a box each month. I use pantiliners when it's really light. I can always get those free w/coupon. Don't use ibuprofen ever since my husband's rheumatologist explains how that stuff causes renal failure. So my chocolate fixes are the most expensive part of the process!!! :)

Everytime I go to the store to buy the products it makes me sick. I have 5 girls, 4 of which are already there and one on the way. They all like different tampons and pads so I have to buy an assortment. Also some like midol and some like tylenol and so forth. It cost me a small fortune. I keep saying I am going to buy stock in these brands...

I'm another diva cup lady too! I've converted TONS of women to it... they are the BEST! I never have to worry if I have tampons around....
fyi--- I tried "instead" as well and the diva cup works SO SO SO SO SO much better than that. Their design allows alot of leakage and I've never ever had a leak with the diva cup even the first several periods after giving birth when you are just flooowwwiinngg....

lol!!!!! that is why you buy bulk. i have no costs for it anymore, but at the rate my daughter is going within the next year or so i will for her

I take my birth control pills straight through, so periods only a couple times a year when I schedule them. Still have the BCP expense, but otherwise, it's saving a lot of money (and giving me health benefits).

Ya'll should really try couponing. I haven't bought tampons in over a year. NO I AM NOT one of those couponers who has an entire garage of product. But, there are items I do what I can to stockpile on. It's really worth it.

I agree with the other ladies on Where the heck are you buying your products and my other question is how many tampons are you using in one day. I buy the equate brand tampons. Every once in a while I will buy the name brand but these are much cheaper and I buy the big box I think there is like 42 or something in there. I also cant use the carboard applicators because like you it irritates my lady parts so I have to use plastic ones. That box will last me 3 months (ish). even when buying name brand it will still last me about 3 months. So I guess to answer your question I spend about maybe 6 bucks on a box and that last me about 3 months so 2 bucks a month on actual products.

Then like someone else stated buy the generic brand of tylenol or whatever. i buy the double pack of generic brand at walmart and it like 6 or 8 bucks and it lasts for forever. hope this helps.

I haven't had much in the period dept for a few years (prego with third, nurse each for a year...) but not to worry the dr and hospital bill make up the difference!!! After this little man is born I will have three boys, so I guess for all the craziness of being surrounded EVERY DAY by raw testosterone, at least I get a price break ;) But even prego I still have to use pantiliners and I am the same, the generic just don't cut it! I have been pregnant with or nursing someone for the past 5 yrs or so and the amount of period stuff under my sink is out of control too!!! Go figure!!

Have passed that phase already. Yet, I when I used products I either used unbleached, and dioxin free products like Naturcare or Diva cup when it came out. Less allergenic and better for the planet!

Love my Diva. I found it on sale for $14 one day and took the chance. Now, I'm mad at myself for not trying it sooner. AND I was one of those coupon-ers who had a stockpile and had gotten everything for free or really cheap. That Diva Cup changed my life.

I buy pads in bulk at Costco because I get them much cheaper and since they don't "go bad" I don't mind having a six month supply on hand. Tack on the cost of birth control and it jacks up the price of being a woman a bit, but if you are thrifty you can stretch a buck.

I usually pay $3.50 a month for pads and thats it. I dont wear tampons or panty liners. I also buy generic advil which is only like $2 for a bottle of 24. Thats all I need. My periods are pretty light and luckily have not had any bad reactions to pads. I do buy Always or Kotex and theyre almost always on sale at the supermarket I go to.

It USED TO cost me about $5/month. THEN I started couponing (a few years ago - before all the brew-ha-ha - back before....well, I won't go there). NOW I don't pay for anything. I have ONE BOX of tampons in the top of my linen closet (that used to be a baby wipes box) that was full of tampons. I get every 'free sample' I can, and that is usually 2-3 free ones along with a coupon. I have told myself that when I run out, I will get a Diva Cup. I refuse to ever "pay" for a period again! (Well, unless it is for a Diva cup!)

If anyone is interested in a Diva Cup story, this one is very informative. Be sure to read the Q&A at the end. http://tinyurl.com/3cmdosv

I use re-usable pads. I'm about to step into the Keeper/Diva Cup world but while we were having babies my body wasn't a fan of internal collection. I use GladRags and love them. It's like a pillow for my secret self. When I do use something disposable I cramp like crazy, even the eco-friendly-er stuff.

I'm excited about the SoftCup, though. I didn't realize a disposable version of the Keeper existed. Maybe I'll try those to see if my body will tolerate it.

Anyway, the point here is that I have no cost for my monthly bleed. I filled an old sock with rice and microwave that for the one or two cramps I do get, I use the reusable pads, and, (seriously, try this!) when the cramp or my bad mood gets too rough I down a HUGE (like 30+ ounces) glass of water and almost always feel relief w/in 10 minutes.

That last tip I tried after having early contractions with my babies. The doctor mentioned they could be caused by dehydration. I thought, what the hey? I cramp w/o a baby growing in me too...and it worked! Just a thought.

All this started after having this exact reaction to the cost of something you just can't prevent. I got all grumpy spending so much money on all the stuff and started finding ways to just always have what I needed on hand w/o having to budget for it.

Me and both my girls have periods and I dont think it costs that much for the 3 of us. But I buy all of our stuff at Walgreens. I practically live there so I just keep my eye on the same things we use all the time and load up on them when they go on sale. The girls only use pads and I only use pads and tampons so when I get them 50% off or more it doesn't seem like it cost that much. Good luck!

it doesnt cost me too much actually i just get two sizes of tampons tampex pearl regular and lite and panty liners and i have to replace once every couple months