The $30 Thing That Ended My Period Nightmare (And Why I'm Still Mad I Didn't Know About It Sooner)
Why spend $170 on periods over 5 years when there's a $30 green alternative that works better?
This is Part 1 of my Budget Sustainability Series.
I test eco-friendly switches to see if they actually save money, then break down the real costs, honest pros and cons, and give you a strategy to test it yourself.
The Additional Stress of My Period (That I Thought Was Just Life)
Reality of being a woman: Growing up, I dreaded that time of the month, for YEARS.
I have a pretty irregular schedule, so my period could come any time. So naturally, I would stock up on menstrual pads in my cabinet, thinking I'm being responsible and shit.
But here's the thing - one month, I'd be worried the pads would run out, so I'd stock up more. Then I'd feel all rest assured like "okay this cannot run out yet." And then several months later, BAM - suddenly I have NO pads in the house and I'm running to the store while bleeding and hoping no one sees me in my bloody jeans.
The stress was low key there ALL the time. Also, pads are freaking expensive. As a broke teenager buying pads with my allowance? Yeah, that sucked.
Even now, after getting a job, I still cry internally when I pay for menstrual pads. I often wish I was born male at that exact moment at checkout, especially when I do the math...
The Annoying Monthly Subscription of Menstrual Pads (That We Never Signed Up For)
My period lasts about 5 days on average. I need to change pads 3 times a day for basic hygiene. So 5 x 3 = 15 pads per period.
Let's say a pack of 36 pads costs around $7, which is about $0.19 per pad.
Monthly cost: 15 × $0.19 = $2.85
Yearly cost: $2.85 × 12 = about $34
Lifetime cost (40 years): $34 × 40 = $1,360
For guys reading this - imagine having a monthly subscription that you NEVER signed up for, that costs you money every single month, and doesn't get automatically delivered. One day you just wake up in a pool of blood and walk to your cabinet trying to find spare pads. There were none...
Yeah, this happened to me SO many times. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
I was lowkey annoyed and furious sometimes, but I kinda accepted it. I didn't think there was an alternative. Guess being female subjects us to this, right?
Thank god I was so wrong.
The Facebook Post That Changed My Damn Life
One day while doomscrolling, I came across this post from someone in my friend group. She was sharing an honest review about trying different menstrual products. Not sponsored or anything, just genuinely sharing her thoughts.
I DM'd her IMMEDIATELY. Asked her a million questions about her experience and what she'd recommend for my situation.
She said: "You might be suited for a period cup. It's expensive initially, but you can carry it anywhere and it lasts about 5 years with proper care."
That simple sentence got me moving. Period cups aren't as common as pads or tampons, so I'd never heard of them before. I spent one morning researching different brands on Amazon, asking sellers about sizing, all that stuff.
Then I just bought one. $30 total. (Not sharing the exact brand because I don't want you thinking this is some affiliate marketing bullshit.)
Three Years with My Cup (And Why I'm Never Going Back)
Three years later, I'm still happily using my cup. I just toss it in my bag and carry it everywhere - work, travel, wherever.
It's saved me SO much stress and potential embarrassment.
Like this one time I started bleeding while I was in a pool. I panicked for like two seconds, then remembered I had my cup with me. Just got up, went to the changing room, washed the blood off my swimsuit, put the cup in, and kept swimming for 10 more laps.
You literally CANNOT do that with pads. They get wet, they're visible under your bikini, and the thought of blood mixing with pool water makes me want to die.
Or when I was trekking deep in the mountains with no shops around. I could've been bleeding through my pants the whole trek. Lucky I remembered to bring my cup.
And no more monthly pad subscription. No more bloody pants nightmares.
The Environmental Thing I Didn't Expect to Care About
I used to think going green was for rich people with too much time. Everyone knows it's good for the environment, we should all do it, blah blah.
But I'm just a normal girl with no time and no money. The environment was always an afterthought when I'm struggling with basic stuff.
Then one day, after using my cup for 2 years, I noticed something: I wasn't throwing out gross bloody pad trash every month anymore.
Think about it - used menstrual pads are covered in blood, which is gross and sticky and basically impossible to recycle. Most of a disposable pad (like 90%) is plastic. Each pad has as much plastic as FOUR plastic shopping bags.
There's basically no system to recycle that mess. In Europe and the US, over 80% of menstrual products just end up in landfills. The plastic takes 500-800 years to break down.
I asked Google to calculate how much waste I'd produce in my lifetime (assuming 40 menstruating years), and the numbers horrified me:
13 periods per year × 15 pads per period = 195 pads yearly
195 pads × 40 years = 7,800 pads total
At about 8 grams per pad = 62.4 kg of period waste
That's 137 pounds of bloody pad trash from just ME
Now multiply that by the billions of people who menstruate... yeah, no wonder our planet is drowning in trash.
All that research made me feel extra glad about my cup. It was hassle at first, but I saved stress, money, AND accidentally went green. Huge win.
The Real Downsides (Because I'm Not Gonna Lie)
The cup isn't perfect. I had tons of hesitation before trying it:
Learning curve: Getting it in and out is tricky at first. You gotta find the right folding technique and figure out what works for your body.
The "ick" factor: Emptying and cleaning can be gross, especially in public bathrooms. Lucky for me, toilets in my country usually have bidets, so it's easier.
Upfront cost: $30 feels like a lot when you're used to $7 pad boxes. But it pays for itself after like 10 months, which is still totally worth it.
If Cups Aren't Your Thing
If you're not comfortable with something going inside you (especially if you haven't had sex yet), then cups might not be for you right now. That's totally fine.
Other alternatives that have similar benefits:
Period Discs - Some people could never do the period cup, but they have great experience with the disc. I have not try them myself, so I can’t give any real advice here.
For people who don’t like the idea of inserting something inside, but still want to go budget + substainable:
Period underwear - looks normal but absorbs everything
Reusable cloth pads - wash and reuse, way cheaper than disposables
I actually use these as backup with my cup sometimes, when I mess up insertion or on lighter days when I'm too lazy to deal with the cup.
Why I'm Sharing This
It was definitely a hassle at the beginning, but I saved SO much stress, some money, and accidentally became environmentally conscious. Huge win for me.
I did most of my research on Reddit, and seeing other people's experiences and tips is what made me convert so fast. This might not be new info for everyone, but I genuinely believe someone out there with irregular periods, tight budget, or environmental concerns might not know this alternative exists.
And honestly? I'm still a little pissed I suffered through years of period stress when this solution was sitting there the whole time.