Switching to sustainable period care products doesn't just have a positive impact on the planet, it can have a positive impact on your wallet, too. With the rising cost of living in the UK, we want to make it easier for you to find menstrual care products that work for your budget. From cost-effective reusables (which cut out the need to spend money on single-use products each month!), to our most affordable single-use products and bulk discounts on period pants, at Unfabled, we're on a mission to help you find period care solutions that really work for you, your body and your budget.

So, let’s get into it. Here are our top tips to help you save on your cycle care.

1. Period Cups

 Someone once said that they’ve had more peer pressure to try a menstrual cup than they’ve had to try drugs. And we get it, period cup advocates really do love converting the masses to their way of life – but there’s a reason for that.

 Did you know that a single period cup can be used for up to 10 years?

 In 2015, it was estimated that the average woman in the UK spent £13 a month on single-use menstrual care products. By switching to a menstrual cup, you could save yourself at least £1,560 over the next ten years (although arguably a lot more, given the current economic climate).

 Looking for your first cup?

 We’d suggest TOTM’s Menstrual Cup as our most budget-friendly buy, available on Unfabled for just £16.99.  

2. Go for a megapack

 Cups aren’t for everyone though, and they aren’t the only thrifty cycle care hack that we have in store for you. If you’re a ride or die pad user, we’ve got the ultimate solution. Flo’s Pad Megapacks offer incredible value for money, no nasties or plastic, and the security of knowing you’re not going to run out of pads any time soon.

 When you buy a Megapack of Flo’s Night Pads on Unfabled, you pay just 23p per pad and get free shipping. Not only does this work out as cheaper than opting for 10 packs of Flo’s pads, (a cult Unfabled favourite), it’s actually also a lower cost-per-pad option than an 8 pack of Always Night pads from Boots. 

3. Period pants

 Interested in ditching disposables but not a cup fan? Period pants are for you. Reusables remain one of the most effective options out there for cutting down on your overall monthly spend on period products, and there are more reusable options out there than you might be aware of.

Period pants offer an innovative, sustainable and comfy way for you to manage your flow without breaking the bank. Typically, reusable products seem to cost a lot more up front, but they prove worth it in the long run.

Our top budget-friendly period pants suggestion for our friends with heavy flows would be WUKA’s Basics Hipster Heavy Flow Period Pants. Available for £17.99 a pair, these pants can be used for up to 2 years and every pair prevents around 200 disposable menstrual products from ending up in landfill.

Also, to make this option more accessible, we’re offering a bulk buy discount across all of the period pants we have in store, so if you buy more than one pair, you’ll automatically get 15% off your purchase.

4. Reusable pads

Another reusable option we’re pretty obsessed with is reusable pads. On average women use around 22 disposable menstrual products per period, that’s 792 products over 3 years! Wear Em Out’s Reusable pads last for up to 3 years, so with just 6 to 12 pads (the amount of reusable pads you’d need depends on your flow and length of period), you’d saving on spending on disposables each month for the next 36 months. 

As an added bonus, reusable pads tend to be a lot more absorbent and can be worn longer than disposable, single-use pads – which means not only are they more sustainable and cost-effective, they’re really great for people who have a heavy flow. We’d recommend starting out with Wear Em Out’s Heavier Trial Pack of 3 Pads to get a feel for which absorbencies are best suited to your flow throughout your period.

5. Keep an eye out for promotions

Purchasing reusable period products can feel like a really big investment. While we know reusables help cut down costs in the long run, that first purchase can really pack a punch. If you’re used to spending £3.29 on a box of pads, investing £16.99 in a cup can feel like a big expense – we hear you.

 We want to make sustainable alternatives more accessible for all, so we’re running promotions on products and in store as much as we can. I’ve already mentioned our bulk discount on period pants, but another way you could save on this expense is through Unfabled’s referral scheme.  

 When you refer a friend, you give them £10 to spend, and when they make their first purchase, you get your own £10 voucher to use in store. There’s no limit on how many friends you can refer, so share the love and give someone you care about a little something for them to invest in their self-care.

Find out more about our referral scheme here.