Periods - Am I Doing Something Wrong?

[bednobs]

i was listening to the radio the other day a they were talking about period poverty and that on average a woman spends £600 on sanitary products a year.
Are there such things as gold plated pads and tampons?
how would someone spend £600py on sanitary products? Tesco sell packs of pads for 66p for 14. Even if you are using 14 a day (!) and you have a 7 day bleed that's less than £5pm (and who would ever use 14 per day?)
am i just really manky or something cause i only need to use 1 maybe 2 packs a month?

[rowanwitch]

Using branded tampons and pantyliners might get you up nearer the top figure.

[mallyh]

36 tampax cost £ 4.00 from superdrug so like you I find £600 a bit ott

[kvalidir]

£50 per month does seem a bit on the steep side. I use most often a mooncup, but when I don't it's Lilets tampons £3.50 per pack, say 2 packs per period. Panty liners about the same. Feminine wash for dodgy days about £5. That would come to £19 per month. Not sure what else you could spend money on tbh unless you had a very heavy flow that would frankly see you hospitalised.

[bednobs]

in tesco - 2 packs for £4.50 (always)
that would take me up to just over £100 py

[jourdain2]

Yes, my mind boggled at that price, too. I'm a bit sceptical about 'period poverty' (yes I know that some people are really hard up) because my mum used to talk about the way she and others managed. She was born in Govan in 1913, 5 brothers and her dad died when she was 10 - so not a lot of cash around. People cut bits of cloth up and made them into pads, which they laundered for re-use. OK, definitely not ideal, but it meant that they got on with school, life etc..

I can't honestly see spending more than a couple of pounds a month on pads etc.. I never did.

[Mamyalynne]

In any discussion when a figure is mentioned, there should be some reference to how they arrive at it - certainly sounds more than the average woman would spend by a long way.

[bednobs]

after doing a bit of googlig, there's the possibility i may have misheard, and that the figure may be the amount woen spends on their periods per year (which apparently includes sanitary products, new underwear (?!), painkillers, chocolate and dvd's (?!?!)
i too think period poverty is a myth

[kvalidir]

I don't think it's a myth, a homeless woman whose benefits have been sanctioned for example would be really stuffed, but I think it's slightly exaggerated. If I was very very poor I'd still manage by wit, it wouldn't be pleasant but I could probably manage, however I think a basic level of feminine hygeine help is appropriate for anyone on a low income as this will be only one of a raft of problems that they face.

[anneasquith]

I don't believe it is myth. Some friends ho run food bank state PDS tampons re lys welcome but rarely donated .

[murraymints]

our local library participates in "tricky period" people donate sanitary wear for whoever asks ...

[woofgang]

local to me the schools have got the red box scheme http://redboxproject.org

[Old_Geezer]

£600/yr is what the average woman tells her husband she pays.

[kvalidir]

£200 for equipment and £400 for our rainy day divorce fund you mean OG? :)

[Old_Geezer]

Precisely. ; -)

[Scarlett]

Some people can use the cheap pads and tampons happily but I know there are others who go all out and buy every size and shape of name brand thinnest of thin pads and classy tampons, if there is such a thing. I can't use any other tampons other than Tampax original, the ones with the cardboard tube. I have tried and the others are way cheaper, but I just can't get them to work! Also, haven't bought a pantyliner or pad since I was 13. So I guess everyone is different.