I eliminated a recurring $170 expense with one $30 purchase (and wish I’d done it sooner)

Hey r/frugal, wanted to share a money-saving win that took me way too long to discover.

I know this may not be new for some people. I just want to share something that was helpful for me, and may be helpful for other women.

On average, I was spending about $34/year on menstrual products. Here's how I calculated it:

• My period lasts ~5 days, changing pads 3x daily = 15 pads per cycle
• Pack of 36 pads costs ~$7 ($0.19 per pad)
• Monthly cost: 15 × $0.19 = $2.85
• Yearly: $2.85 × 12 = $34

Doesn't sound like much until you realize it's $170 over 5 years and $1,360 over a lifetime (on average, a women will have her period for about 40 years). Basically a monthly subscription I never chose. Imagine subscribe for Spotify for 40 years!!!

The worst part for me? The constant restocking. I'd either panic-buy too many boxes (money sitting in my cabinet) or run out at the worst times and have to make emergency store runs, sometimes paying premium prices at convenience stores.

Three years ago, I came across someone on Facebook talking about menstrual cups. Initial cost: $30. Lifespan: 5 years with proper care.

The math:

• Traditional way: $34/year × 5 years = $170
• Cup way: $30 once = $30
• Savings: $140 over 5 years

Beyond the money, it eliminated all the restocking stress. I just carry it everywhere – no more emergency pharmacy runs or buying overpriced products when caught off guard. I can even go swimming in my period. Pads could never, never compare.

Bonus environmental win: I calculated I was producing about 975 pads over 5 years (195/year). Each pad is ~90% plastic and takes 500-800 years to decompose. That's roughly 17 pounds of period waste I avoided over 5 years with one reusable cup.

Downsides: Learning curve was real (took a few cycles to get comfortable), and the upfront $30 felt steep when I was used to $7 pad packages. But it paid for itself in about 10 months.

Alternative budget options: Period underwear or reusable cloth pads if you don't fancy the idea of putting something inside you. If you're okay with inserting a product but don't like the menstrual cup, you could try a menstrual disc. They tend to be a bit more expensive, but they might be a better fit for you

P/s: I'm not an expert on this. Just someone with 3 years of experience who's happy to answer questions if you're still hesitating to try!
Also, Im not advertising for any specific product. I believe that any reputable is good. Just search on Reddit, Amazon, Google about good brands, there are tons of easy to understand, valuable info.