How I save 15k FCFA a year on Period Pads as a broke Housewife.

Let's talk about PERIODS!!!. 

I don't mean the full stop at the end of a sentence, I mean the one we as women get every single month. Yeah that one....

Hi, I'm Clarisse and you're welcome to my blog. Here I share my tips and tricks on everything budgeting, savings, financial security, parenting, frugal living, etc as a broke Housewife in Cameroon. 

As Women, monthly periods are one of those things we spend money on every single month. 

And the Irony of it is, we spend money just to hide it. 

 To avoid advertising it to the world that we are in that time of the month and there is something happening in our body.

Buying Pads monthly.

As women, we buy a packet of pad every single month, sometimes 2 packet if you have a heavy flow. 

Now the cheapest packet of pad in Cameroon cost 600frs (has gone up to 700frs as of the time I'm writing this post). 

Now incase your period decided to flow like the rivers of Babylon, then you'll need atleast 2 packet every single month which means you'll need to be spending atleast 1400frs monthly. That means in a year you'll be spending almost 17k.

Now to some people, that amount isn't that much, however, as a Housewife who is very keen on budgeting, planning every franc and someone who can barely afford mobile credit for 100frs sometimes (and I mean this literally) it's alot of money to spend. And I know alot of girls and women who can't afford it.

Plus I could easily toss that money into my emergency savings account (a wooden bank I have at home).

Here is what I actually use 

What I use instead of a regular pad that has helped me save 15k a year.

Have you ever stopped to think "how did women in the olden days handle their monthly flow?"

I mean there were no pads back then and even if there was, I'm pretty sure not alot of women could afford to buy it every month.

 So then how did they handle their monthly flow? 

I did a little research and found out that they were all using "Clothes". They would just cut out pieces of clothes, fold them and pad themselves up. When they remove, they wash, dry and reuse again.  SIMPLE!!

And that is what I do as well...

My period story...

I actually started getting my periods immediately I got into my teens.

Ofcourse back then pads were available (I'm not that old...lol). However my mom introduced me to what I call "cotten Clothes pad". She bought me some little white Cotton towels and I would just roll them up and pad myself.

But as I grew up, I turned to a regular pad.

Back then what was popular was "hyginiques". It was so big and thick, you needed to wear a puffy skirt or gown so it doesn't show. 

Anyways later I switched to Amie, then softcare, etc.

Long story short, after I had my child, got married and started being financially conscious, I realized it was just waste of money. And It was also just another way of me fueling the government pocket with more of my money through pad tax (the seller pays tax for those pads remember?).

I decided instead of spending my money on something I use and throw, I would go for the free option. Which is with what I started with. Clothe pads!!!.

Yep.....

I bought a clean white cotton towel, and cut them up and store in a cuboard and that's what I use and has been very beneficial to me financially and also to the environment.

The only problem with this is, you need to practice a high level of higien. That is Washing the little towels with detergent and warm water to get all the dirt out.

Why clothe pads are much better than regular pads.

Here are 5 top reasons why you need to switch to clothes pads.

1) It's cheaper and you can make them yourself from old clean clothes.

2) It is better interms of polluting the environment.

3) It's best for breathability down there.

4) Can be reused. Just wash, rinse and let it sun dry.

5) It has no side effects.

6) You save alot of money.

What do you think about using Clothes for pading yourself every month ladies? Let me know in the comment section.