Period poverty

[ChocolateAndMoreChocolate]

AIBU to remind you period poverty exists?

Came on this morning, did not have any sanitary items. Asked my DM to send me £5 until payday (Friday). She could only PayPal so I tried to withdraw the funds and I’m on a 72 hour wait!

So no view of having sanitary items for 3 days... and now I also hate pay pal

Failed to mention my bank balance is at 0.

Do you have a red box project or selections locally? We have one in the library and the youth centre and (I think) at the food bank

redboxproject.org/locations/

Asda’s own tampons are 75p if you have any change in the house that’s what I use x

My mother grew up in abject poverty without even a flush toilet. One cold tap was shared with another family. There often wasn’t enough to eat and they had to beg for credit at the village shop.
But she would have been incredulous at the very idea of “period poverty”!
She, and many of her generation, did not have access to commercial sanpro. They simply used folded rags in their underwear, and washed them out in a wooden tub, beating them with a poss stick.

In these environmentally aware days, a lot of women are going back to reusable washable pads, for sound ecological reasons. If you did the same, or got a mooncup, you would never need to find money for tampons again.

But @Babdoc just because they went through that doesn’t make it right or ok

And a mooncup is nearly £30. Where do you expect OP to get that from when she’s so clearly on a tight budget?

Spare change at home? Supermarket own tampons are less than £1 if you can get that together?

Otherwise a redbox project or similar if you can have a google?

I was going to talk about a mooncup but I was going to be much, much nicer about it!
I’m sorry you’re in this position OP. It’s a position that many people (myself included, until recently) don’t believe actually exists. No money can quite often literally mean no money.

I think they should hand mooncups out at school. Or reusable sanitary pads. Obviously this won’t help you now, though. If you do ever manage to have a spare £20 though I would recommend a moon cup and then you would always have something in?

Would definitely recommend washable moving forward x

Whereabouts in the country are you OP?

Are you near a women's centre? Library? Food bank? Where in the country are you OP? Just wondering if any kindly MN people are near and could help out?

Can you access help from a food bank? They will likely have feminine care items. Could you ask a friend to give you any?

My ex used to withhold funds. I used to roll up socks.

Any points on your Boots card?

@Babdoc REALLY?

@ChocolateAndMoreChocolate do you have a (Christian) Church near you? The Christian Church usually have a charity, and will probably be able to help.

I wish you well.

When I withdraw from PayPal it takes seconds to show in my bank account.

How does “period poverty” differ from “poverty”? I think this is a silly term. We don’t talk about “food poverty” if we don’t have enough to eat or “transport poverty” if we don’t have money for the train or bus or petrol.

That being said, I sympathise with your position. If you say where you are then there might be someone on here who can help you. Otherwise I think a reusable option might be a good bet for the future if you can afford to buy one.

In the meantime, I’ve used toilet paper before if caught short, which I assume you’re doing now.

The first time you try to withdraw funds from PayPal there is a wait. After that it's instant if your bank is verified.

OP, I have heaps of san pro and live next door to a PO. I'm happy to send you some next day delivery if that helps.

Instead of loo roll use a cut up cotton tea towel and fleece behind it. It’s essentially a reusable pad and quite comfy.

Any place of worship will help someone in need, not just Christians!

Period poverty is worse in the summer holidays (for those who are parents, and students) as there are so many more expenses to cover.

Sorry @NoBaggyPants I didn't mean to imply it was just Christians who will help financially if someone is living below the poverty line. It's just that my local (Christian) Church does. So that is why I said Christian Church.

Apologies to anyone I have offended!!!

I don't like the expression "period poverty" either. It's not some unexpected disaster which throws your budgeting into a mess for the month like the washing machine giving up or a child needing a new pair of shoes. A period is predictable (in most cases). You know it's going to arrive, you know you have to be prepared for it.

Could you use folded up toilet roll from a public toilet/McDonald or somewhere you can just walk in and get some? You could take enough to tide you over for the 72 hours.

I know it’s nit a long term fix.

Do you attend a church, community centre, playgroup or anything like that? They often have some sanitary items available in the loos, for anyone in need.