Question for the ladies.

[undeterred]

How much do you spend per year on disposable paper products marketed as "feminine hygiene"? I know it doesn't seem like much per month, but it adds up over the course of a year/many years and its got to be one of the most overpriced, and non-ecological things we are encouraged to do.

I'm estimating $100/year.

[StellaBlue]

1. I've had this thought before

I suppose I spend about $50-60 a year. It should be provided free by a socialist government.

haha

[Book Lover]

2. Zero

I use GladRags. One-time investment :-)

[LisaM]

3. Over $100 at least

not to mention all the quarters I plug into machines.

I do know of a place that makes reusable cotton pads, though I have never tried them. I know they are the ecological choice, but......

[LeftyMom]

4. I use cloth

I like them better anyhow but the money saved is a nice bonus.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Well, for me....ZERO......

I am post-menopausal! NO more periods! :woohoo:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

11. Me, too

but it wasn't long ago I was spending about $10 a month.

[xmas74]

6. I'm planning on purchasing a divacup.

If well-maintained they can last years.

[dolo amber]

44. While I think conserving natural resources (ie trees) is just wonderful

and all, the very idea of that sends me into convulsions. And I'm not a very woozy person when it comes to bodily functions (hard to be after you've had kids) so I can't really explain what it is about it. I am morbidly curious and utterly horrified at the same time. :D

But hey, if you get one lemme know how that works out for ya! ;)

[xmas74]

45. I have a couple of friends who have them.

Before they mentioned it I never would have thought of one. They've said that they have to empty it once every 12 hours and that it's not at all messy-cleaner than using an OB or maxi pads. And they run around $32 so in the long run I'd save a bundle.

And LaraMN stated that she wants to buy one too. If we both get one we'll have to start a thread about it and let everyone know if we like them or not.

[tigereye]

49. hmmm

you guys are probably right. I was hoping I'd be done with the whole thing soon though, before I have to change the habits (and spending??) of a lifetime.


I was just going to say that I have no desire to rinse out a bunch of sponges... but I'm not even sure if people still use those! ;)

[xmas74]

52. The DivaCup fits inside

a bit like a diaphragm. My friends stated that they empty them in the toilet and then quickly rinse them under the faucet. Both stated that they don't really have to clean them until after their cycle is done and that it's a quick soap and water deal. They also said that you can rub them down w/ a bit of rubbing alcohol so that they don't get stained.

They love them and have been preaching to everyone about them. One of them is in her mid-forties and knows that she might not have to worry about it soon. She's been using it for a year now and said that it's the best switch she's ever made.

[tigereye]

53. yeah I looked at the website a few months back

I'm at that wonderful stage where you never know what you are going to get...


I think of a menstrual period as a "muse" in some way. I think it can be a very creative time, and I'm going to miss certain aspects of it when I'm done. I seem to be in the minority, though. ;)

[xmas74]

54. Talk to Heidi about it sometime.

She feels exactly the same way.

[tigereye]

56. I'll have to do that

she's an artist, right, so it makes sense. When I was in a band, I always wrote what I thought of as my best songs and poetry during those times.

[xmas74]

57. She's just fantastic to converse with in general.

A warm and loving individual. We've talked about menses and menopause before and have had some great brainstorms.

[huskerlaw]

7. $100 sounds about right.

Unfortunately. x(

[joneschick]

8. I don't even want to consider an estimate

me, 3 teenage daughters and the friend of daughter #1 currently living on my futon, affectionately known as The Littlest Canuck.......nope not gonna guess.

[NewWaveChick1981]

9. I spend about $7/month

so that would be $84 a year. $100 sounds like a good estimate for an individual. However, this depends on the individual, and her needs might be greater. :)

[undeterred]

10. There are alternatives

but I've never explored them. Funny thing is, its politics that raises the issue for me. Sensenbrenner is heir to the Kimberly Clark fortune and they make Kotex, which is usually the highest priced option because it is the "name brand" like Kleenex. I hate to think how rich I've made this corrupt politician by buying overpriced wads of paper. :shrug:

They make overpriced disposable diapers too. Disposable anything is probably a bad idea.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

12. Honestly?

I believe that disposable feminine hygiene is one of humankind's great advancements, particularly tampons. My mother has told me about the old days and it wasn't a lot of fun.

I share a washer and dryer with a large family and wouldn't be comfortable washing and drying reusable sanitary napkins.

[Book Lover]

14. That's why you rinse and wash them by hand

during your cycle, and then use the washer/dryer after that's all done. What, you never washed your child's bloody jeans or shirt in the washer before?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

16. I come from a generation

where when we first got our periods the products (brand was then Modess) was wrapped in plain blue paper like a freaking present so we could avoid the embarassment of people knowing our hoo hahs leaked blood. I haven't gotten past that. I could no more wash my sanitary napkins in a communal washer than I could take a crap in the living room on Christmas Eve.

Just can't do it.

[Book Lover]

17. Now I find that fascinating

I think you must be younger than I thought you were. Darn that word "Grannie"! My mother (born in 1932) used clean rags and taught me to do the same. When I told her there was an actual product you could buy, instead of sewing them yourself, she thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Only my sister (b. circa 1952) used Tampax/Kotex. I should talk to her about this, see what she'd say...

[TallahasseeGrannie]

21. My mom was born in 1914

and I'm a Boomer, in my later 50's. What I liked about tampax was it was internal and kept you dry, for the most part. And you could flush them.

[Book Lover]

32. FYI,

I was born in 1968. and I have always hated, with a passion, tampons. They always hurt going in and I never trusted them to stop me up completely.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

35. There have been times

when I didn't use them, like after having a baby. But in general, there were ok. Trust? Never. It's always on your mind...how far is the bathroom, am I wearing white, etc.

Damned inconvenience and I'm glad it's over!

T-Grannie

[China_cat]

20. Modess

complete with belt and instructions on how to use them?

Ah yes, I remember it well. (And 'good' girls didn't even THINK about using tampons)

[TallahasseeGrannie]

22. Yep, I remember the "belt"

and I remember in boarding school sitting in the john and putting in the tampax to the coaching of the girls sitting outside the cubicle.

[tigereye]

51. yeah, WTF was that about?

our culture is so weird. God forbid the "sacred orifice" should have anything in it either prior to marriage, or anything but the male appendage! ;)

[China_cat]

59. I guess they figured if you knew what it felt like to have

something there, you'd want to be having sex. (Never took into account that if you could feel it, you had it in wrong)

But there were a lot of really weird things in that day and age. We had a couple girls who were married in our senior year (non-pregnant, because you weren't allowed to come to school if you were) who told us that they had to show a doctor's report that they weren't pregnant and they weren't allowed to take PE because they'd have to dress out in front of the rest of us. That was a wtf moment then...and still is.

[tigereye]

60. damn!

there must be a happy medium between that and teen-age blow job parties, somewhere. ;)

[peekaloo]

26. Oh man, those things were hideous.

My mother wouldn't allow me to have Tampax aka Satan's cotton finger.

Like strapping on a pillow and always got wedged in my butt cheeks.

[undeterred]

28. Satan's cotton finger!

Wow, you've just sexualized the tampon! My mother never used them and never told me about them. I think she thought you couldn't wear them if you were a virgin. Thank God for my Girl Scout leader.

[peekaloo]

30. I think Prince Charles beat me to it (sexualizing the 'pon, that is)

and to answer your inquiry I probably pay around $70-$80 a year on products.

:hi:

[NewWaveChick1981]

39. LOL!

:rofl: My sister called them sofa cushions, and to this day, that's how she refers to them! :rofl:

[radwriter0555]

58. I'm there with ya sister. I just want to flush that thing and get it out

of my sight.

I have no interest in rinsing, washing or any further insertion than is really necessary.

[tigereye]

50. yeah

I remember pads and the belt, and those were a big pain.

[huskerlaw]

13. How about Tampax?

Without getting into TMI-land, I bought Kotex in an act of desperation last month and I thought they were awful in comparison.

[NewWaveChick1981]

37. Totally agree with you.

I've tried lots of tampons over the years, and by far, the best I've found is Tampax Pearl. Taught myself to use tampons at age 15, and I'll never go the pad route again unless I have to. :)

When I got my first period at age 11, Stayfree was just coming on the market, and beltless pads were a blessing to women everywhere. Thank goodness I never had to use belts or pins. :)

[Left Is Write]

46. I used Tampax for 20+years....

before "discovering" OB, which work much better for me.

On the subject of Stayfree: I still hate that they got rid of minipads. Stayfree minipads were the greatest thing ever.

[rug]

15. May I interrupt to say I find this thread to be fascinating?

[StellaBlue]

18. Two thoughts:

I also have to confess that, despite being a tree-hugging far-left wacko feminazi, I, too, think that disposable TAMPONS are one of the Very Best Inventions, Ever.

No way would I be willing to wash out bloody pads. I have enough to do, what with living with no dishwasher or washing machine in my home!!! And washing a child's bloody shirt is not the same thing as washing menstrual blood. Come ON. :puke:

I can't wait for the day when we evolve past periods. To me, periods are one of the most basic (and earliest-noted) proofs that there is no god. Or, if there is, he is not merciful. Or a very intelligent designer.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I took a class in college, led by a former nun!, called "Women Through the Life Cycle". In this course, we explored the phases of women's lives through the literature of various cultures. At the end of the semester, my 'other comments' on the course evaluation concerned the fact that, though the class was called "Women Through the Life Cycle", we never ONCE discussed menstruation! How crazy is THAT? I think that's probably THE defining moment, rite of passage, whatever, for almost all women, right? Way moreso than "losing" your virginity, IMHO.

I for one am tired of the taboo regarding this topic. Men SHOULD know about it. It's part of human existence, of life. It's no mystery. And it certainly ain't sacred. I know some eco-feminist types will disagree with me on this, but I am in the 'cursed' camp. Maybe has to do with being a Southerner or something, I don't know.

I am continually fascinated by books and websites I've seen about menstruation and women's experiences.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

25. I once found a website

with artwork made from menstrual blood.

ummm.. unique?

I agree the menstruation was at least equal to or bigger than "the first time." In my case, I was rather young and thought I was dying.

And to me, it is proof that GOD IS A MAN. If the Goddess were at the head of the ship she would have figured this out a whole lot better. You know they have had many arguments about it!

[Book Lover]

31. How interesting that in the same post

you post a puke smilie at the idea of washing out a bloody pad, and then later on you say that you are tired of the taboos surrounding menstruation. Just my POV.

[StellaBlue]

34. Oh, yeah! haha

Most people would be disgusted by the thought of bodily functions in general, though, and we still talk openly about them in mixed company (childbirth, taking a crap, etc.)! hahaha

[Lydia Leftcoast]

47. Actually, it IS possible not to have periods.

If your'e on the Pill, taking it all through your cycle instead of the "dummy" pills for the last week stops your period. It was originally designed like this.

However, the women in the early test groups were uneasy about NOT getting their periods, because it made them worry that they were pregnant, so the sequence was redesigned to include an "off" week, which would bring on your period in a more predictable and shortened form.

I'm past all that, and I don't miss it.

[China_cat]

19. nothing.

[bertha katzenengel]

23. I bought a hysterectomy. But in what I've saved in tampons and pads, it

will have paid for itself by the time I'm 112 years old.

:rofl:

[Justpat]

24. Zero! One of the joys of menopause. n/t

[undeterred]

27. Yeah but add up what you spent over the years!

[Iniquitous Bunny]

29. Not as much as I spend for toilet paper for the males in my household.

I'm not going to feel too guilty for being female and needing these things. We need to keep our bodies hygienic. Industrial pollution by corporations is far more damaging than my biodegradable cotton tampons.

[gollygee]

33. hmm like a $4.50 package once a month

so not that much.

[LaraMN]

36. Diva Cup...

I want one of these! Several friends of mine SWEAR by them, and they last for years, at a relatively minimal cost, compared to the expense of restocking paper supplies, monthly.

[xmas74]

38. I want one too.

They say that, if well-maintained, they can last five years. I've read testimonials from European women (where similar products are more common) that have had them last over 10 years.

Tampons have to be changed every three-four hours. Divacups can stay in for up to 12 hours before emptying them. That would be great on a camping trip or when I'm pulling an extra shift at work!

[LaraMN]

40. Yep! By my estimation, mine would pay for itself in less than 6 months.

and not having to worry about it every few hours would be VERY nice!

[xmas74]

41. Exactly.

I've found them for around $32 and figure on about $5 for S&H. In about 6 months it will pay for itself.

The hiking trips that I do w/ my Girl Scouts will make it worthwhile. It will be nice not having to worry about stopping near a restroom midhike! And not having to pack extra tampons will also be nice.

One of the GS moms makes her own Glad Rags. Her oldest is nearing menstrual age and she plans on making some for her. She has a simple holder that fits in her purse-one for a clean one and one lined in plastic for the used one. Both are very small and covered in pretty material so no one would even guess what's in them. We'll be talking more when my daughter gets closer to that age.

[nutsnberries]

42. $100 sounds about right to me > >>

i use ob and Always.

i always buy these products on sale, never full price.

a tampon is not a big item and the Always pads are so indredibly thin... how much paper is actually in them? (is a tampon any more paper than like... one paper towel? c'mon... the amount of hot water i'd use washing out a reusable thing would not be totally ecological either! i know there is the manufacturing and packaging and shipping etc to consider too, but i'm with those of the opinion that it's one convenience i would not like to be without.) I don't know what else is in them but I know both of these products work great for me.

Even though my mother was kind of old fashioned (born 1924) and she gave me one of those awful modess things with the belt when i first got my period... she told me we'd look into getting those new tape on pads if i wanted and we did. they were very bulky but so much better than the belt thing. my friends used tampons and in a year or two i told her i tried one (ob - this was back in the mid-70s) and i wanted to switch to those during the day and she was ok with it and bought them for me. I've stuck with ob all these years. Pads have changed so much... I think the super-thin Always pads are amazing. My teenage daughter uses them too. I didn't count my expense for her products when I figured that $100 a year sounds about right.

[xmas74]

43. Look into a Divacup.

If you're interested I'm planning on purchasing one soon and I'll let you know if they are worth it. A few friends have stated that buying one is the best thing they've ever done when it comes to their periods.

http://www.divacup.com/

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

48. Never thought about it, but I do use organic tampons.

Better for you and the environment. I'm lucky though. I'll get a day of hellish cramps, but I also get relatively light two-day periods every 1.5 months. I'm not on the pill either.

[RebelOne]

55. I'm at the age where I no longer have to worry about

those products. That's one advantage of going through menopause.