How much did your last period cost?

[MrsCipo]

Out of interest, what did your last period cost you in monetary terms? Including san pro, pain killers, time off work, ruined clothes and anything else you had to pay for? I had a conversation about period poverty the other day, but those involved have reusable san pro, not particularly heavy periods, etc, so didn't really 'get it'. I thought a cross section sample from a lot more women would be a bit more representative. Also wondering what other costs, in addition to those above, have been missed out

£0 Mooncup and period-pants back up...Didn't need any painkillers this time round but sometimes nick a couple paracetamol at work

Just realised, I forgot to say I have a 21 day cycle so the true cost is actually nearer £10 every 21 days. It's not a hardship for me but that's quite an expense for someone on the breadline.

As for the poster who said they didn't understand all the fuss about the expense of periods, well lucky you

Nothing- I have a mooncup and I don’t need to take meds luckily.

Around £6/7 I imagine. 12 day periods over here!! Hellish and agony.
Pads 2 for £3. Always buy 4 packs. Extra loo roll a few pence.
Painkillers - usually a few packs in the house. Maybe £2 if I forget.

Quick question.. if anyone can help regarding reusable towels? Are they good for heavy periods? Comfortable? Reliable?

£3ish. I had to buy some cheap pads and used a fair few tampons (first period post baby - really regretting leaving that event until I went back to work). I did some extra washing because of stained undies.

I spent a lot more when I was a teenager than I do now, and I think that teenager/young adults are probably more likely to have this issue hence why I think supplying for free in schools is a great idea.

Well I've had a hysterectomy so I don't have periods any more. But before I did - and when my periods were horrifically heavy - probably about £2.

£1 pack of pads from Poundland.

I buy non-branded supermarket tampons which are 95p for a box of 20 so based on an average 4 tampons a day for a heavy day, and 4 days being my average period, then it's 95p.
I never need a day off work. Painkillers are rare for me, but again i buy non branded ibuprofen and paracetamol so it's pennies.
All in all it's under £1 per month.
I can see however if you have very painful and heavy periods and insist on buying branded goods then it could be close to £10.

Less than a pound. Don't think I've ever spent more than a couple of quid per month.

About a fiver, bit it was first period in a few years, so I bought extra just in case, and got caught short once so bought more. I have enough though to last me at least my next period though. Average cost I'd have thought is £2-3

I have 2 DD's who have periods as well as me. None of us take painkillers, I use a moon cup, 1 DD tampons and the other pads. Total less than £5 a month and i am being generous but if we didnt have £5 then that would be too much, its impossible to judge isnt it really

Maybe a quid or so - painkillers maybe once and electricity/water for the hot water bottles.
Oh actually and £5ish for a taxi - I had booked onto a yoga class but my friend cancelled late, and due to period arriving and pain I wasn’t up to walking.

I use an organicup with cheekywipes underwear as backup.

mywrencalls re: supermarket pads

Allergies/Sensitive skin? The whole family have excema/sensitive skin and I think I'm so lucky every time I buy 3 different shower products, branded moisteriser, and fairy non bio that I can afford to and no one has to be extra itchy because I've had to buy the cheapest brands.

HAve just splashed out on reusable underwear to the tune of about £120.
I've had them 3 months, so I suppose you could say my last 3 periods each cost me £40, but the longer I use them, the less it will have cost retrospectively - if they last a year £10 each month, or if they last 2 years then £5 each month. I assume they'll last at least 2 years.
Plus the cost of a couple of washing machine cycles every month but I'd probably be doing some washing anyway.
I don't usually need painkillers or miss work, and I've never actually ruined any clothing, stains usually wash out.

@Pinkypie86
Scroll up for my response.
They are expensive to buy initially, even preloved (and I appreciate some people may feel that's grim). I've found far less pain since using them and they absorb far far better than disposables.
I store them used in a wet bag until the end of my cycle, rinse them a few times to get rid of most of the blood in cold water (you dont have to, it's just my preference- you can stick straight in the wash), then pop in with my next dark load.

Well my last period was expensive as I went on a bit of a buying spree!! Have never got on with non applicator tampons but found a reusable device for using non applicator tampons which for me was nothing short of miraculous (Dame, for anyone wondering). Then I bought three different brands of tampons in different sizes as it’s been years since I used them and couldn’t remember what was comfortable. I also bought some disposable pads (made with bamboo) as I was flying and had a sudden crisis about a used reusable towel setting off the liquids scanner (I stayed overnight in a hotel with just my hand luggage the night before). So about £30 this time but usually much less - maybe £3-4?
As with everything else, that figure isn’t much up until the point that you don’t have it

I've lost count. Due to gynaecological issues and a mirena coil that so far is not settling I have been bleeding to some degree or another since 7th December last year.

I can't use cheap towels. They chafe at me and are not absorbent enough. I have had so many problems with them. So I just buy brands like always as they come on offer in Tesco.

I'm extremely close to giving up on this mirena (inserted under GA during a hysteroscopy to deal with very heavy and prolonged periods) and pushing for a hysterectomy.

So at the moment I am just spending and spending on sanpro. Probably between £5 and £10 a week. It is too much.

Mooncup, but first period since first baby which means I bought a new bigger cup so technically £30ish for the cup. I don't need painkillers, mine quite light.

that's quite an expense for someone on the breadline.

And it assumes you are the only one in your household having periods. At one stage, me, DSis1 and DSis2 were all still in school and DM was still having periods. Mine were always light, but the others were all heavy. Our sanpro cost must have been ridiculous!

I have, on occasion, spent over £5 on sanitary protection in one month - I'd run out of towels, tampons and panty liners all at once. But a pack of each will last me more than 3 months. I'd like to give up disposables and switch to modibodi but the initial outlay (£100 for 5 pairs of knickers) would take literally years to be worth it!

Around £2

About £2 - well that was a big box of Super Tampons from Asda and a Big box of Regular Tampons from Asda - to be honest that will probably last me 4 months! So my last period cost me 50p max!

Probably £2/£2.50. I use Sainsburys own brand tampons as they are cheaper but don't buy everything each period. Also buy own brand ibuprofen which I use for a couple of days. I have a period every 3 weeks now.

Under £1.

I invested in some 'period undies' about a year ago, which were £25 each. I use pads/tampons if needed and a pack can last 4-9 months.

I always worn black underwear when I'm on, plus some dark shorts for when I'm sleeping. This helps to avoid stains/leaks.