Frugal Homemaker Plus Gets a Little Personal
Gentlemen, you are excused.
Ladies, I was pushing my cart through Kroger yesterday when I noticed a price I have not paid attention to for a long time-feminine products. I was shocked at the cost!
You’ll all pushed your cart down that aisle. Tampons, pads, pantyliners…those items are remarkably expensive. I saw a brand line that cost $9.99 for one 40 pack box of pads. It’s not uncommon for some women to go through a whole box in one cycle- $120 a year just on bleeding if you use that brand! The brand name tampons were not much better. That’s $5000 in a lifetime, assuming about 48 years of menstruation! Of course, there are ways to cut that number substantially, with coupons, sales, and our friends at CVS and Walgreens, but still- that’s a lot of money for a wad of cotton and a string.
I stopped buying all that stuff 4 years ago, when I finally broke down and bought a Keeper. A Keeper is a reusable cup that is guaranteed to last at least 10 years.
My college roommate introduced me to the idea of the Keeper, and I’ll admit that I was horrified. It just sounded so…well, gross! A reusable cup? Ewwww. I said no thanks to that, but my roommate loved it and sang its praises to every woman that wanted to hear about it. She got several women on our floor to buy one, and they all loved it. I kept buying my Tampax.
Fast forward a few years. I was married and in graduate school, as was my husband. We were on a bare bones budget- the kind where even a $5 expense could be a very big deal. We were going over the numbers, trying to figure out little areas we could save. We had cut everything possible- we did not belong to the gym, we did not have cable, we had dial up internet through the school that cost $15 a year, we did not buy clothes, we ate gallons of soup…where could we cut? Something in my memory surfaced, and the Keeper came to mind. We came up with the cash, I tried, it, and I have never looked back. It was not nearly as gross as I thought, and once I got the hang of it, it was very easy to use.
At $30, it is a lot to lay out up front, but if you use it ten years, you save A LOT more than you spent. It also creates less garbage. I’ll admit my motivations in buying my Keeper was purely financial, but it’s also keeping a lot of stuff out of the landfill.
There are two sizes to the Keeper- size A (after vaginal childbirth) and size B (before vaginal childbirth.) There is also something called a DivaCup which looks very similar, with before childbirth and after childbirth sizes. I’ve also seen reusable pads, which seems like they’d be easy to make at home if you’re handy with sewing.
*For full disclosure purposes- I do pick pads and tampons up at Walgreens when they’re free. I keep one box on hand for in case a guest may need one, and I donate the rest to the homeless shelter and the women’s domestic violence shelter.
How do you keep these products from eating up your budget? Do you use a product like the Keeper, or other reusable options? Use whatever is free at Walgreens or CVS? How can we make being a woman a little less expensive?
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33 Responses to “Frugal Homemaker Plus Gets a Little Personal”
January 6th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I bought a Diva cup several years ago and love it. I still have to use pantyliners during my heaviest days, but it’s a lot cheaper than using tampons or pads for the whole time. It is so incredibly convenient. It does take a little getting used to, though. When I first started using it, I found that if I didn’t get it in right, it would hurt or it would leak. It only took a couple of cycles to get it figured out, though.
January 6th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
since you brought it up
i have a question – do you have just one? so you rinse it off and replace it? I’ve been pondering a better solution as I too have noticed the price increase and as i’m approaching 50, things are, shall we say heavier and thus, requiring more tampons for me.
January 6th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I purchased a product similar to the Keeper called a Diva and have been so happy with it since I got it. The same time that I purchased the Keeper I also bought some washable re-usable panti-liners from a company that hand makes them locally. It was an investment up front, but over the decade that they will be useful for, it’ll be a great way to save money and help keep needless waste out of landfills, all while supporting a local entrepreneur.
January 6th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
THANK YOU so much for discussing this topic!!!
I have used cloth pads for three years, and I LOVE them. I buy mine from Punky’s Pads, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=83764, but there are a ton of sellers. I’m considering making my own once I get some free time. Everything is much more comfortable in cloth. I’ve worn mine hiking, doing Pilates, and on long marathon training runs.
I also recently started using Instead, which is a disposable version of the cup (you use one a day instead of 328745671785 tampons a day, not as much savings as a Keeper, but better than tampons).
January 6th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
As a Keeper user of many years, I’ll add my 2 cents. @Inky, yes, typically a person uses just one Keeper/Diva. You empty the contents, rinse it out, and reinsert. It is honestly not yucky. I actually feel much cleaner with the Keeper than with tampons or pads. There is little leakage, mess or odor. I swim and do other workouts with it in place and never notice (and don’t need to fuss with feminine protection in the locker room). I use washable cloth pantyliners (hardly needed) and they are SO much more comfortable against my skin than commercial pads. I would be happy with the Keeper & cloth pads setup even if the only benefit was personal comfort/cleanliness. The fact that it’s also better for my budget *and* the environment? Bonus!
January 6th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I have and use the Diva cup and I think it is a great invention.
January 7th, 2009 at 8:02 am
I’ve been using cloth pads for 3.5 years (obtained from Homestead Emporium (formerly Homemade Mama) http://homemademama.wordpress.com/) and I will never go back to commercial pads, and my payback was completed over a year ago!
January 7th, 2009 at 8:45 am
I use the Keeper also, and pick up freebies from the drug stores when available, but I have also repurposed some old cloth diapers into pads. I know it sounds gross, but they are made to be absorbent and work great. And as others have stated the cloth is so much more comfortable than than disposable. The disposable are just more convenient when I am out and about, and I’ll take that when I can get it free.
January 7th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Inky- I just have one Keeper. I take it out, empty it into the toilet, rinse it, and reinsert. It sounds yucky, but it’s not as bad as it sounds. I don’t have to empty it nearly as often as I had to change pads or tampons. I’ve also never had leaking problems once I figured out how to get it in correctly. Like somebody said above, it took a few cycles, but once I figured it out, it was easy!
January 7th, 2009 at 9:10 am
thanks so much to all of you for this feedback. I have used those Instead disposable cup-like things with some success, so I think I could handle a Keeper or Diva cup. We recently were notified in our community (one with septic tanks) that we are not allowed to put tampons down the toilet anymore, so this would be yet another reason to make the change I’ve been pondering! perfect timing on this post :0)
January 7th, 2009 at 11:45 am
I make my own cloth pads and love them. I can’t use tampons or anything else that is used internally – so the Keeper is also out, but I know many women who absolutely love them!
Another good thing to do with those extra disposable pads that you get for free – keep some in your emergency/disaster supplies box (you’ve got one, right?). I’ve even kept one in the car glove box and used it to clean up an emergency spill while on the road!
January 7th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I use the Keeper and also some cloth pads which I made (pantyliners actually, I use them at the beginning and end of my period). I do keep disposable pads on hand for emergencies (I have some in my desk at work for example) and go through about one box every year or two.
January 7th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
According to the details on the link you provided, “Not recommended for those with latex allergies”. Shoot.
January 7th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Good information. As a registered nurse working with reproductive age women I appreciate this firsthand experience I can share with others. Thankfully, one of the perks about menopause is savings in this department (and the inconvenience, mess and savings on ruined underwear).
Thanks
January 7th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Can you sleep with the Diva or Keeper?
January 7th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Wow, I’d never heard of this. Thanks!
As a newlywed, I’m considering an IUD. The new ones are quite good. And one of the kinds will halt all periods.
Besides the general hassle, I’ve considered the overall savings from not buying tampons and pads. (I use regular pads as pantyliners, in case I stop paying attention for too long. It saves an awful lot of underwear in the long run!) The savings are considerable! And the IUD is probably covered by Planned Parenthood’s Take Charge program.
January 7th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Melissa- Yes, you can sleep in your Keeper or DivaCup! I found that my Keeper did not leak the way tampons or pads did, so my sheets stayed much cleaner.
January 7th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Abigail,
This isn’t directed only at you; I want to make sure as many people as possible are aware:
Please don’t confuse IUDs with contraceptives. They don’t prevent conception; instead, they work by creating an unhospitable environment for the developing baby. This is an early abortion – murder of a (new and tiny) human being.
January 7th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Great post. Yes, those things are very very expensive. I’m still using boxes I “bought” a couple years ago (i.e., before I got pregnant with my last child who is now 1) at Walgreens and CVS when they were free. We must have 10 boxes stashed in the closet.
I am also in the process of sewing up some reusable ones. I will probably continue to get the odd box free for travel or whatever, but at this point in live I am concerned about reducing our trash output so I’m going to go to the reusable ones. We cloth diaper already, so this is not a huge stretch of ideas for us.
And FYI for your readers who coupon, Walgreens in this month’s easysaver booklet has $3 off any Stayfree. Use that coupon with the buy 1 get 1 free coupon from the newspaper last week and get them very, very cheap (less than $1 for two packages).
January 7th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I’ve used a Diva cup for about 4 years now, and I’ll never go back. They’re very easy to clean- I just rinse and re-insert during my cycle, and boil it in plain water between cycles.
I use cloth pads for backup because my Diva will occasionally leak a bit. A few years ago I decided to finish off an opened package of regular pads, and they felt so itchy and yucky that I could hardly stand it!
Truth be told, I’ve actually bought 2 Diva cups. I killed my first one by forgetting I had it boiling on the stove. I boiled the pot dry.
The Keeper (I think) is made of rubber, and suitable for those with latex allergies, although the Diva is made of latex.
January 7th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I’ve used the Keeper for 10 years now, and it’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made. I made the switch to save money and avoid the nasty chemicals used to bleach pads/tampons. I’ve found the Keeper to be FAR superior to disposables. My first few days are heavy, and the Keeper handles this WAY better than what I used to use (O.B.s).
I used 1 box of O.B.s per cycle, so the Keeper paid for itself in 6 months.
If I remember correctly, the keeper is supposed to have a 10-year life span, so I’m about due for a new one. The original Keepers were made out of latex, but I think they have another model now that’s made out of silicone.
Newbies should also note that there are small differences between the Keeper and competing products (ex., the Diva Cup). If one doesn’t work for you, you might try one of the others.
January 7th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Another idea to float out there — an IUD. I have the Mirena and my periods have all but disappeared. I had mine inserted 6 weeks post-partum (before I got my period back) and my period has never returned. It’s wonderful! Occasionally, I do spot, and I keep liners on hand, but I don’t plan to use tampons ever again.
If you’re lucky, your insurance will cover it (mine did, not all do tho), but even if you pay out of pocket, you will save over the long run.
January 7th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
What a great discussion. I didn’t realize there were so many women out there using these products. It’s not something we talk about. I have both the Keeper and the Diva and I find them to be very similar. I also use Glad Rags (washable pads) for leakage and everyday use (so many babies leads to urinary leakage occasionally). My daughters use the Glad Rags only and they serve them just fine. Lisa~
January 8th, 2009 at 6:41 am
I just got the Diva. I’ve used Instead in the past, with decent results, but have been wanting something reusable for a while. The concept is great.
I’ve also used cloth pads for years. I made up a bunch when I didn’t have any extra money to buy disposables, and haven’t gone back. I like them so much I even sewed up some longer ones for the postpartum period.
Reusable feminine products – what a concept. I love them!
January 8th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
I use a Mooncup as it’s silicon and I can boil it between uses. I have noticed that I need to be very careful to wipe the outside completely dry before reinserting or I’m prone to infections.
I love it — my periods are very heavy and when I’ve had to use super tampons I’ve always been “aware” of them and at times, quite uncomfortable. With the mooncup, after I insert it I do a couple of squats to adjust everything, then I totally forget I have my period.
January 8th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I just want to clarify for latex allergy people: the Keeper is made from latex rubber, the Mooncup is the same company’s newer version made of medical-grade silicone, and the Diva cup is another silicone cup made by a different company. I believe there is a different Moon cup (the original) that is made by a different company in the UK- not sure what it’s made of. Aside from the latex allergy concern, you can boil the silicone ones whereas you have to soak the latex Keeper in some sort of cleaner (like vinegar) to clean it. (I actually never do this- I just wash mine in the sink more thoroughly at the end of, and again right before, each cycle.)
I have been using cups since I was 17, almost five years now, and I absolutely love it. There was one time when my luggage was stolen and my Keeper was in there, and I ordered a Diva cup when I got home but it wasn’t delivered by my next period. I had to use plastic pads for that round. I thought it was horribly uncomfortable, I hated throwing so much stuff away, and…it was just all-around icky.
I used the reusable pads in conjunction with a cup for a while, and thought they were much more comfortable than plastic pads, but I don’t like to do laundry very often and have to go to the laundromat to do it, so this has never been a terribly convenient option for me.
I am that person who will talk about my cup at length to anybody who will listen!
January 10th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I’ve had a Keeper for a long time now ( over 10 years! ) and it is truly a great product. Peronally, I have to sleep with a pad because I can get leakage at night while using the Keeper – so YMMV as to leaking – but it has saved me so much money, I really don’t care.
However…
Be aware that if you have to use a public multistall restroom at work – a cup might be good for evening and weekend use only. You have to be able to take it out and rinse it. I personally don’t want to be rinsing my cup in front of my co-workers!
The Keeper is definitely a good investment.
January 11th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
What a terrific blog this is!
And it’s really wonderful to see this posting about REUSABLE menstrual products –- and especially about The Keeper.
You’re absolutely right that, in the long run, reusable menstrual products provide a terrific savings -– AND that they also provide a great savings for the environment, as well.
I hope you’ll want to take a look at a REAL pictorial representation of the actual amount of WASTE disposable menstrual products create, on Keeper.com’s new Comparison Photo Page, at http://www.keeper.com/photographs.html .
Here, you will see — IN REAL PICTURES — the amount of waste caused by ONE WOMAN’S tampon use in one month, one year, ten years, and forty years. (We based our photos on 18 tampons used per month, and calculated that most women menstruate for approximately 40 years.)
I think you’ll be shocked, as will visitors to your blog, to see how much WASTE is created by using (and disposing of) tampons. And I also think you’ll agree with me that the 4 photos on our Comparison Photo Page are worth AT LEAST A THOUSAND WORDS!
By the way, did you know that The Keeper has been on the market since 1987?
Julia Schopick
The Keeper, Inc.
http://www.Keeper.com
January 11th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
This option may not be for everyone, but as the mother of 9 children may I mention that I probably have had less than 20 periods in my 17 years of marriage? But I would certainly consider a keeper if I weren’t always pregnant and/or breastfeeding.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
I don’t think 48 years of menstruation on average is accurate. 40 years is closer to the norm.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Wow, the numbers on disposables used seem really high to me. 40 pads per cycle (original article) and 18 tampons per cycle (Julies’s comment)!!!!
I use disposables, and at most use 7 pads per cycle, but more often 4-5. I ocassionally use tampons as well, and use maybe 3 of them and 3 pads. I don’t use pads on my last couple of really light days though. It might sound gross, but all I do is fold up about 5 sqares of TP and place it in my underwear. It just sort of sits there between me and my underwear and I rarely have any leaks with it, and don’t think I have ever had it fall out or move. I just drop it in the toilet when I go the bathroom.
Anyone else that uses disposables want to comment on their usage?
In case anyone wonders, I’m 28 and have no children yet. Maybe that makes a difference, do they get heavier after kids?
January 14th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Jenny,
I’ll share! When I used disposables, I used at least a box per cycle, sometimes a box and a half. I have very heavy periods.
I’m 28 and have no children either. It’s amazing how difference each woman’s body can be!
February 5th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
I stumbled onto this coversation by accident, and I have to say I am impressed. Over the years, I have heard of the Keeper, but like many others thought it was gross! I think periods are gross! But, that is beside the point.
I am 44 and have 4 children. I am a 3-5 day period girl, and I tend to have 3 super heavy days, and then nearly nothing. I use 14-28 pads a month!
I love the idea of something that is less wasteful, and more comfortable. For sometime now I have thought that I might actually be allergic to something in the pads. After reading your blog, I am seriously considering changing methods, and trying out the Keeper!
Thanks for being honest, and real, and sharing your experiences!
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