Stayfree Coupon – Save $2 on Regular Priced Stayfree Product

I know for a while, Stayfree stopped offering a $2 off coupon on their products since December 31, 2011…. however, I’m happy to report that they’re offering it again until May 31, 2012!

For those who use Stayfree products regularly, this will help keep your loyalty (unless you’ve stocked up at Shoppers Drug Mart whenever they’re on for $1.99) and for those who don’t use or haven’t used Stayfree products before, here is your chance! Here’s a snippet of the information provided on their COUPON OFFER main page:

Whether you’re busy raising your new family, working out at the gym, rushing around the office, or just out for a night on the town with friends, the wide range of STAYFREE^® products are designed to protect you no matter where the day may lead.

STAYFREE^® Cottony Dry Cover Ultra Thin Pads help you stay free from:

• Leakage – STAYFREE^® has a Leak Protection Ring to help block leaks in all directions providing maximum protection against embarrassing leakage.

• Wetness – An Anti-leak core effectively uses fast-absorbing technology to help lock wetness in quickly for added protection against leaks. Helping to keep you feeling drier all day long.

• Discomfort –STAYFREE^® has a new ultra-soft Cottony Dry Cover to provide maximum comfort.

• Odour – Double-odour protection not only actively prevents embarrassing odours but neutralizes them as well so you can stay confident no matter where your day takes you.

With so much research and engineering behind STAYFREE^® products, it’s the ideal solution for all your feminine hygiene product needs at a price that fits your budget.

In fact, we’re so sure you’ll love STAYFREE^® products that we’re going to give you $2.00 off on any STAYFREE^® Product so you can experience for yourself just how great STAYFREE^® is.

Since it may be against their marketing rules to take a snapshot of their coupon, I will link you there instead. Please find the following “Save $2 on any Regular Priced Stayfree Product” coupon! I have to reiterate once more about the following conditions as stipulated: “Limit one coupon per purchase and per person, and may not be combined with any other offer. Offer only valid on regular-priced STAYFREE^® products.” I would consider buying Stayfree products using this coupon if their regular price is upward of $4.50 or so. When you use the coupon, that would bring it down to about $2.50 per pack which is pretty good for standard pricing. I might be inclined to pay $3 ($5 with $2 coupon off) if you’re greatly in need of the product as well. This particular coupon is only applicable in Canada at retailers which accept printable coupons. So far, I’ve found most large chains to be fairly accepting of them, though I have heard about some stores giving hassles (guess I’m lucky I live in a smaller city where there is less fraud/abuse) in more populated urban centres.

Now print out this coupon and get to a Stayfree-selling store near you!!

Stayfree, Carefree & O.B – Save.ca (Mailed) Coupon & Stayfree Printable

Do You Love Stayfree Like I Do?

Buy 2 Save $5.00 Checkbox

If so, you’ll be happy to know that Stayfree not only has a printable coupon located @ http://stayfree.ca/sampling/en/coupon-print.asp — but also a “Save $5 when you buy two Stayfree, Carefree or O.B. Feminine Hygiene” and you can request it @ http://www.save.ca/livewellsavewell/choose_province (This offer available to Canadian provinces only). In the middle of the page you should see the box similar to the image as shown to the right of this text (hopefully they don’t randomly place the coupon on the site). I don’t know whether there are limits that SAVE.CA is offering before it closes off the offering, so get it while it lasts! Don’t forget though however, SAVE.CA coupons often have a much shorter expiry date than the printable version. Don’t waste a great coupon by having it sit in your drawer and if you’re not going to use the coupon, don’t order it so that someone else who NEEDS it can!

The great thing about Stayfree over the other 2 major pad/tampon company is that their coupon has been around for a long time and they continue to have a good standing reputation with retailers honouring the coupon. I’ve used the printable coupon many times off of the Stayfree site and not once have I been rejected by retailers. Mind you, I don’t go crazy like some abusers I hear about who bring in 20 coupons and hoard every package or box on the shelf, so it’s used responsibly. The other two companies only offer coupons sparingly and you tend not to get as deep of a discount from their coupons or offers. Although the printable coupon has restrictions on when you can use it, I think the restrictions are quite understandable and that the discount of $2 on any Regular-Priced Stayfree Product is a very generous offer! The printable coupon also lasts quite long and is extended by J&J each time the 6-month period (hehe) elaspses, the current coupon expiry date is: December 31, 2011.

According to Stayfree’s Coupon Offer…

Whether you’re busy raising your new family, working out at the gym, rushing around the office, or just out for a night on the town with friends, the wide range of STAYFREE^® products are designed to protect you no matter where the day may lead.

STAYFREE^® Cottony Dry Cover Ultra Thin Pads help you stay free from:

• Leakage – STAYFREE^® has a Leak Protection Ring to help block leaks in all directions providing maximum protection against embarrassing leakage.

• Wetness – An Anti-leak core effectively uses fast-absorbing technology to help lock wetness in quickly for added protection against leaks. Helping to keep you feeling drier all day long.

• Discomfort –STAYFREE^® has a new ultra-soft Cottony Dry Cover to provide maximum comfort.

• Odour – Double-odour protection not only actively prevents embarrassing odours but neutralizes them as well so you can stay confident no matter where your day takes you.

With so much research and engineering behind STAYFREE^® products, it’s the ideal solution for all your feminine hygiene product needs at a price that fits your budget.

In fact, we’re so sure you’ll love STAYFREE^® products that we’re going to give you $2.00 off on any STAYFREE^® Product so you can experience for yourself just how great STAYFREE^® is.

If you’ve never tried Stayfree products, the coupon is quite enticing! Heck, even the mailed-coupon by SAVE.CA might be a good way to test some new pads at minimal cost. If you’re interested in knowing more about the Stayfree products available in Canada, check out http://stayfree.ca/sampling/en/products.asp – although their site still hasn’t been updated to reflect the new Thermocontrol pads that have already replaced much of the “ultra thin” line of Stayfree pads. The other thing that makes Stayfree great other than the fact that they have enticing coupons is that their products are simply amazing! I’ve seen Stayfree grow a lot, from the days they had huge “Stayfree Prima” pads, all the way to today’s ultra thin Thermocontrol! While I have some small gripes about the fact they stopped offering separate “scented” and “unscented” products, I can’t deny that they still provide great comfort, absorbency and have a great reputation in my books.

Rexall – U by Kotex Tweens

So the U by Kotex “tween” series has finally hit Canadian shelves as a couple of my readers have asked me about them. They are also on-sale this week at Rexall or their chains.

You can find the deal on page 14 of their flyer, bottom-left corner and looks like the clipping I have in the following picture:

U by Kotex Tween Pads $3.99 @ Rexall

And of course, it is NOT only the UbK tween pads that are on sale, it includes their pantiliners and tampon lies as well. $3.99 is not CHEAP, just cheapER than usual.

All the difference I see in this is strictly sizing and design (and I don’t mean structurally, by design, I mean simply the “look” of it)… and if you don’t want something that small, don’t even bother trying this out if you’ve already tried the regular UbK pads. Unless I hear differently from readers or my girls that there’s something BETTER about this pad than the UbK pads, I’m not going to test/review it just for the sake that it has cute little flowery designs on it 😛

Stock-Up on Stayfree Pads @ Walmart

OH MY GOD! Yes, that’s right.. Stayfree Feminine Protection, assorted types and sizes (Maxi/Ultra Thin pads) are now on sale at Walmart this week! The sale goes from Feb 11th to 17th here in Ontario. However, please ensure you check your local flyers and applicable Walmart stores to see if they offer the sale as I’m not sure whether all Walmarts across Ontario offer the same sale-products! I’m totally going to take a look and see how much stuff I have left over at home, maybe stock up for myself, some of my girls and perhaps for bebe! 😀

If you have the “Save $5 when you buy 2 Stayfree, Carefree or O.B” products coupon, here’s your chance to use it and even get $1 back! I’m going to wait until near the end of this sale-week to see if my coupon arrives and that’d be great if it did. Walmart does have some awesome $1 and $2 sales this week as well, so everyone is advised to check out the flyers whether on-paper or on-line while taking advantage of this great pad-sale! I’m usually not a fan of Walmart, but hey, gotta give it to them if they really have a good sale on!

I just wished they’d bring the Thermo Control Stayfree pads over to Canada, ARG!

“Sales” Might Not Be Worth Buying Into

You may wonder what I mean by my entry title, but you will after reading this! I was talking to one of my readers and she mentioned a few pads that she asked me to take a look at and one of them got me interested. I had been hunting for sales for a week already since it would appear that my supplies at home are running low and it’s time to switch it up a bit. With her recommendation, I decided to follow suit and had already been scrounging my e-flyers and deal-sites online to see if I can find myself some upcoming sales. On Thursday night, I still did not find any store that had good sales (most stores have their “flyer week” start on Friday or Saturday, but display their ‘upcoming’ week deals by Thursday).

I was a bit frustrated, given that I’ve been back in Canada for 2 weeks already and haven’t even noticed any decent sales on pads/tampons. I understand that the whole O.B. Ultra fiasco may have put everyone into a high-alert situation, but come on, they already pulled the O.B. tampon sales right out of the flyers now, because usually they get included in the same sales as Carefree Liners and Stayfree pads. Oh, speaking of the whole O.B. Ultra tampon shortage, feel free to read about it here: http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/23534–why-these-tampons-will-cost-you-79-99

Pulling a well-known tampon off the market is like taking well-known condoms away from guys!

Anyways, off this whole O.B Ultra tampon situation because there’s tons of sites covering that already. So as I was getting annoyed at the fact I’ve been trying to find sales for several weeks already, I decided to look up some manufacturer coupons right off their sites, rather than relying on clip-outs or store-sales. So then I found a new coupon since their old one expired. If you’re an existing or potential user of Stayfree pads, feel free to check this out: http://stayfree.ca/sampling/en/coupon.asp — although I believe that THIS coupon is only usable in Canada and participating stores. Please note that the expiry on the coupon is March 31, 2011.

I was quite happy, that is, until I read closely at the use-of-coupon terms and conditions. One of the key terms state that, “Not valid in combination with any other offers. Offer only valid on regular-priced STAYFREE® products.” and so after reading that, it set me back a bit since “regular priced” pads are usually quite expensive. So I continued to mull around and then my reader told me about Walmart, being one of the cheapest place to find pads/tampons (or well, mostly anything) at a reasonable price when other places don’t have them on sale.

As I was checking the flyers once again Friday morning at work, I did notice that Shoppers Drug Mart had Carefree/Stayfree (yep that’s right, no O.B.) liners and pads on sale for $2.99. Unfortunately the sale didn’t start until Saturday though, so I frowned. I was bored at work and still trying to think of where I can get myself an awesome deal, I decided to print out 4 of the Stayfree coupons (wasn’t meant to be greedy, but more of the fact every 8.5 x 11 page fits 4, so I don’t like wasting so much space) and just keep them in my car whenever I see a chance to use it.

It dawned upon me what one of my readers said. She did say that Walmart tends to be a good place to buy cheap products when other stores are selling them at (higher) regular prices, so I thought I’d do some research. Of course Walmart’s online site is a bitch and I couldn’t find the price of Stayfree products for some reason, so I decided to go there since I live less than 1km away from one. The reason why I was interested in going to Walmart is to see their “regular price” because that means I’m eligible to use the coupon. Since SDM had them on sale for $2.99 already, the coupon would not be valid under the clause. When I reached the feminine hygiene aisle and spotted the Stayfree section, I was happy to see it was $3.93 and doing a quick head-math, it would mean I’d be able to acquire a pack for $1.93 after the coupon deduction!

Stayfree pads @ regular price paired with a $2 off coupon!

==MAJOR INTERRUPTION START==

As I was looking at the receipt more closely, I just noticed they applied HST to this purchase. As I recall, only the GST portion (5%) is supposed to be taxed on feminine hygiene products! The 8% PST portion should’ve been exempt or an “instant-rebate” should’ve been applied. Those Walmart fuckers charged me 31 cents more than they were supposed to on the tax! Yes, I understand that taxes are usually calculated on the pre-coupon prices which is fine, but the total tax should’ve only cost 20 cents!! I should take the receipt back and bitch at them, or report them to the government for incorrectly charging me, but they’re lucky it’s only a few cents or they’d never hear the end of my wrath!

==MAJOR INTERRUPTION END==

So ya, I realize after all this, I could’ve told my story in a paragraph of something, but the point I’m trying to make is just to remind people that sometimes we’re blinded by the allure of seeing things “on sale” because as you can see, with a coupon, I ended up getting a much better deal (even after being ripped off, lol). To make the most economical choice, you have to weigh whether the sale is better WITHOUT a coupon, or better WITH a coupon, even buying it at “regular price”. However, I should also note that there are some coupons (like Brandsaver/Save.CA) that don’t have this restriction, so make sure you read carefully all the coupons/deals you use to ensure they abide to the store/coupon policy! And so, for $2.44 total, I got myself a wonderful pack of…

Disclaimer: I did not get the bonus pack, the picture is JUST for reference

Stayfree Ultra Thin Overnights!

I’ve experimented with these before, but it wasn’t until one of my readers informed me that they changed the pad a bit and added rear-wings (similar to the ones I displayed in previous reviews of pads I bought in Hong Kong) – so after hearing that, I certainly had to give them another shot to let them redeem themselves! Not only that, but she also said she really liked them, so heck, never hurts to revisit a pad I haven’t tested in so long. Who knows, maybe it will surprize me – and it sure did! However, lets leave that for the review later.

So there you have it folks, make sure you take some time to do some quick math and consider whether just shooting for the sales or making use a coupon (or both if you’re lucky) will net you the BEST pad/tampon shopping price! The world has changed a lot, so don’t forget that not only can you clip-out coupons from the paper/flyers, in-store/on-shelf rebates – but that you even have online/printable coupons as a resource! I have heard of some places that refuse to accept printable coupons, so make sure you check the store’s participation level ahead-of-time or if they give you a hard time, speak to one of the supervisors/managers of the store! A couple dollars here and there may not seem like a lot, but your wallet or credit card statement will notice the difference!

If you have any comments or hints for fellow readers, feel free to share!

Embarassed By My Own Natural Reaction

I’ve been thinking lately, I’m pretty embarrassed over my own feelings for bebe. No, I don’t doubt my devotion to her, but rather, my feelings for her have grown.. uh… rather strong. Until a while ago, I’ve had pretty strong emotions for bebe and stuff, but I’ve always tried to suppress my “other” feelings for her. My feelings for her not only have gone from emotional, but even now physical/sexual. When I say I feel sexual towards her, it doesn’t mean I want to throw her on the bed and start having my way with her, but it means I get excited by the thought of her.I know these are pretty normal feelings, particularly for a guy… but it’s embarrassing for me.

My fav type of huggles!!

Bebe, unlike other girls I’ve been with, isn’t one who is the touchy-touchy type or enjoy physical intimacy in a relationship. Hopefully in time I’ll break that barrier and she’ll not only “accept” physical intimacy, but also embrace and enjoy it. I’ve been so happy with how things are going between us lately… the only thing that has bothered me that I’m trying to get over is what I just spoke about, the lack of physical comfort. Even when I talk about just wanting to hug her… she gets all quiet on me or just ignores me. It makes me hurt a bit, but then I keep reminding myself she just needs to experience once before she knows how comforting it is. I mean hugging isn’t exactly a “oh-my-god, he did what?!!” type of move… I would even dare say that hugs for the most part are not highly-sexual in nature. Bebe still seems very avoiding of physical contact and it sort of bugs me, and I’m sure she’s aware of it… but I want to do as much as possible to melt that barrier. Why is it so hard? I need to understand… sigh.

Nevertheless, I think about how much my feelings for her have grown. One might wonder why being excited over your own girl might be so unusual and it’s not, but when I think of her and become excited, it’s not even because I’m thinking of dirty things about her. I don’t think about her nude, I don’t think about her doing sexy things, I simply think about her and I already get excited and horny over her. WHY?!! I don’t even think sexual thoughts about her, how can I get sexually excited?! I mean, I could completely blame just being male and that’s why, but usually I have to think about a girl sexually before I even get excited, but with bebe, I just think about how beautiful of a person she is, inside and out, that it gets me all riled up over her.

PERVERT - Only you could see something other than a mouse

When I talk to bebe, I swear, my eyes glaze over, I get hot inside and I start to swoon over her. She’s SO DAMN HOT… and since when, I ask myself. When I first saw her, I just seen her as “just the average Asian girl”… small, cute and lovable, but I could not recall when I began to just drool over her… I think I need a bib. I’m starting to believe that the way you view physical attraction changes over time as you get to know a person better. Suddenly things about their personality, helps amplify their physical beauty as well… in other words, beauty is also an acquired taste. I hope that in time, I will become more attractive in bebe’s eyes… I’m not even concerned about how others view me now, as long as bebe views me in a positive light. I’m not hoping that she’ll see me as not having any faults, but to learn to love me for who I am. If I can see her as being more beautiful over time, then surely, she can see me as being more handsome over time. I hate to think that because she’s doesn’t “like the way I look” that it prevents her from being physically-close to me.

Some girls also look even hotter when they’re angry and ferocious. I was watching a TVB series today called When Lanes Merge (情越雙白線)… and there’s couple of scenes where she’s angry and ferocious, she looks so frigging amazing. Bebe can look a mixture of scary and totally drooltastic when she has her “angry look” on… 😆 – In all reality, I think I can find perfection in every look she has, haha… could be her best or her worse and I still say it’s great XD

Kate Tsui - Black and White

So tomorrow, I’m finally headed out on a beautiful 18-hour flight to Hong Kong. I’m excited to see my family! On the topic of my blog, I’ve already marked a few feminine hygiene items worthy of purchase and testing while I’m there 😀 In fact, this week there is a Kotex Whites Slim w/ Wings XX-Long on sale @ ParkNShop ($20.90HKD/pack) this week which I’m hoping to get a chance to snatch up before it ends! I’ll be hunting for some good deals so I can test them while I’m there and also, I’m sure my friend Amy has some presents waiting for me already 😆 I already know that as I mention this, she is going to ask me “Is Bebe going to buy some for you when she comes back?!!” ‘cuz she’s been asking for a while, haha. Well, I guess we’ll find out whether bebe remembers to get me a souvenir (although very different than what most people get, LOL)… I’ll update as soon as I get a chance, especially if I get some pictures of Asia’s superior pads/tampons! 🙂 Cheers and enjoy your holidays everyone.

PARKnSHOP - Kotex WHITE SLIM WING XX LONG 8'S

Incognito Samples Are Here!

For those who have read one of my previous reviews and hypes about Incognito pads, found rarely in Ontario – you’ll be happy to know that this Quebec-grown company is now spreading their influence outside of their local province. The sample looks really cool as it gives a variety of products for you to test, including pantiliners, ultra thin pads and tampons – along with a pamphlet. Included is also a tin carrying case which is similar to the Kotex Luxe lines found in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines. Although the sample itself is for young-women as their “First Period Kit”, it’s still a great way for post-menarche women to test out a new product that may lead you down to exploring and switching to some of Incognito’s great products!

Better jump on the offer and get your free sample today! From the last update of my previous entry, Incognito now has TWENTY NINE (29) products, ranging from pantiliners, ultra thin pads, maxi pads, tampons and feminine cleansing cloths. Unlike most of the “brand-name” pads in North America, a few of their products not only act as a form of menstrual protection, but is also capable of dealing with light incontinence and one for maternity use.

Although it has been a while since I’ve bought and tested any Incognito products, it has definitely proven to have a lasting, positive impression – everything from the innovative channel designs, elastic side-guards, body contour, comfort, absorbency and of course, affordability! Incognito may still be rather evasive in stores, but I’ve read that it can be purchased (outside of Quebec) at Walmart, but have yet to verify this. I’m not a big fan of Walmart myself, but I’ll make sure I put it on my “to do” list and check it out. However, Giant Tiger stores do stock Incognito and their prices doesn’t make your head spin.

I also found a coupon that doesn’t expire until the end of this year! I’m not sure how many stores will take these printable coupons, so better find out ahead of time or if you’re willing to take a shot at it either way. I have not verified whether this coupon is accepted and whether it’s usable outside of Quebec… so if you find something out, please let me know.

For your convenience, the $1-off coupon is provided above, however, I recommend you check out their awesome new site anyways! The official company coupon can be found here.

I have to say, while their site isn’t as interactive and engaging as other large sites hosted by Always/Tampax or Kotex – I did read through many of their sections and enjoyed the layout and content of it, short, simple and yet, effective. The “floating box” they have on the left side that changes with each section/refresh cycle gives some new insight on every page you navigate through, including the ability to “add a comment” to a particular pop-up or even “love” the information (probably to simulate the LIKE button of Facebook). The Q&A sections need some work as it could use a bit more info and all.

The biggest thing you will probably notice is the site (in my opinion) hasn’t been fully converted and some things still appear in French, in their English version of the page. For the most part though, all main body content has been changed, but some title texts haven’t. Nevertheless, I guess they have all the right to still honour their native language! Under the personalized tools section, there’s also a simple period calendar to help you predict your menstrual cycle. It’s a bit unfortunate that unlike other tampon makers that they didn’t include any pictures to understand the concept of tampon insertion as it can be a very foreign thing for girls who’ve just started their period and don’t understand how it works. I understand information like this will probably be included in the tampon box as well in the usual fold-ups, but it’d be nice to have something like this on the website as well for a “one-stop shop.”

For those who have access to a Giant Tiger, give Incognito a shot! Poke around some smaller stores, home-grown shops and MAYBE even Walmart and you never know what you’ll find. I can’t imagine that Incognito hasn’t become popular yet given their great products and as my dedicated reader Andie says, it’s “made in Canada” and that’s important in helping our economy and local manufacturers 😀

Recently, I’ve noticed in my eBay updates that there are more and more sellers offering sanitary napkins from other countries, particularly from Asia. I’m happy to see this and perhaps one day soon, shipping of those pads from those countries won’t be super-expensive. I’ve seen some shipping prices down to $4.99-6.99 which isn’t all too bad, however, you never know if you’re going to get nailed at customs so it’s best to buy them in smaller quantities. The last time I wanted to get some Laurier and Sofy pads shipped from Malaysia and Kotex Whites from Hong Kong, it was like $20 shipping for a $3 pack of pads, lol, talk about nuts. I was like, “Are you kidding me?” … especially when the item is not exactly “heavy.” Still, I understand something traveling half-way across the world is not cheap, but surely, there needs to be some economical options!

On a final note before closing for the night, I do believe Costco has jumbo boxes of Playtex Tampons (84) regular or super coupon for $3.20 off from the original price of $15.59 – or $12.39 post-coupon. I actually only know one girl who uses Playtex, so I guess not many of my girls will benefit from this, but have to be fair and spread the news anyways!

Beinggirl.ca Always/Tampax Samples, eBay Asia Pads and Always Maxi Pad Deal with Coupon

Found some things of interest for the girls and fellow flow-lovers… one of my favourite places to find amazing deals. Content between the following quote is all property of Smartcanucks and their wonderful community.

Looks like there’s availability to request for samples of Always Maxi Pads or Tampax Tampons again at beinggirl.ca for fellow Canadians! Please see below and this thread for more information.

This sample was available a while ago but they quickly ran out so quite a few Sc’ers didn’t get a chance to order. Mine came in with lots of samples and a few coupons, I was quite impressed.

Simply fill out the details below and get a sample pack from Always® and Tampax®!

To receive the Always® and Tampax® Kit, simply provide the information requested below and click submit.

*This offer is available for Canadian residents only. Limit one request per household while quantities are available. Please allow 8-10 weeks for delivery.

Sponsored by Always® and Tampax®.

Please note – One submitted entry per person and/or email address.This offer does not apply to current BeingGirl members.

Click here to sign up!

From what I heard, even if you fill it out and mark yourself as MALE (if that’s the case), they will still send you the samples without prejudice as long as you match the requirements for shipment.

Another great catch, not free, but available in stores is from No Frills if you happen to have a save $2 coupon lying around, you could get yourself some Always pads for only 97 cents! Please see this thread for more details.

In the No Frills (ON) Sept. 3-9, 2010 flyer, Always Maxi pads (12-24 ct.) are advertised for $2.97. If you have the Save $2 when you buy one Always Ultra or Maxi (24-48 ct.) from brandsaver.ca then you pay only $0.97 for the Maxi (24 ct.). The picture in the coupon is the Ultra kind, which is green, but those aren’t the ones on sale for $2.97. Make sure you pick up the Maxi kind (blue package, 24 ct.) pictured above, which is also covered by the coupon.

Click here to view the No Frills (ON) Sept. 3-9, 2010 flyer.

Thanks to cesme77 for posting the flyer for us!

Then the following is my own find on eBay for “Sanitary Pads for Night” which appear to be the Korean-version of Whisper pads. Of course if you have more information on this or can confirm/deny this, please feel free to let me know and you will be credited!

This seller is selling both the 32cm and 41cm versions of it and you can see more info in the pad absorbency chart he/she provides…

The reason why I was so particular in posting this wasn’t because I’m affiliated with the seller, but because this is one of the few sellers who I’ve seen to have reasonable shipping prices on maxi pads/tampons exported from Asia. Normally, the shipping fees are ridiculous for Whisper, Sofy, Laurier, Kotex or Stayfree pads outside of the local vicinity. International flat-rate shipping on a pack of pads is only $2.00 USD! Although the pads themselves aren’t cheap and may be why they can offer such a low shipping rate, it is $6 a pack and only contains 8 pieces. However, I would reckon if they’re similar to the Whisper Overnights sold in HK – they may very well be of same quality! If anyone ever gets these, please let me know what you think of them. I believe the seller is only offering both overnight pads with wings and does not have ones without. Of course if you have any questions, please direct them to the eBay seller and not me since I don’t know anything more than what is posted!

That’s it for tonight – can’t think right now, too much on my mind!

Approaching Women About “Female Topics”

I wanted to take this opportunity to write in reply to one of my reader’s suggestion for feedback on a question he posed to me a while ago. I know I have been lacking on doing period posts and have done a lot of moping over bebe. Suffice to say, it’ll be a long 6 months for me and I wonder if she even thinks about me and has me in her heart at all while she’s away. She has yet to reply to me since she got home and has yet to talk to me over MSN (sad meh Poh Ching?). Nevertheless, enough thinking of that and I want to address a really fantastic topic brought up to me:

Shuamayal says:
August 3, 2010 at 3:02 AM

– I would request you to write on how a typical women would react if asked about menstruation, bra and stuff, & if you have screwed up a female friend by asking such, how to make up for

it or the proper convenient way to ask so the other person does not feel offended or “exposed” & “embarrassed” as i was told once 😦

It took me a while to approach this subject because it really made me think. I’m going to try to methodically write this towards 3 different “types” of girls, relationship status wise, on how I have experienced female topics with them, 1) girls I don’t know well, 2) girls I know well, and 3) girlfriend/partner. Suffice to say, there are girls who might fall under category one, but who are open to talking about female topics even with a stranger, but girls who fall under category 2 where even after knowing them for years are still shy or reluctant to talk about it. There’s no “catch-all” to my experiences because as we all know, everyone is different.

Before I start typing the core of this response, I’d like to make note that things expressed herein are strictly my own experiences and opinions and may not be of general consensus or even truth, if you read it, it is your choice whether you wish to validate or deny my judgment.

To address the first part of this reader’s question, I think that a typical woman would find it inappropriate to discuss menstruation, bra, panties and stuff if you don’t know her well. Also, I believe that discussions on such topics are better left to more private areas. Obviously a woman would be more likely to oppose talking about her period at say, by the office cooler, rather than in the comfort of her own phone or a private place. I think this is a pretty usual reaction thinking even upon my own reactions to being asked a private question. Given how open-minded of a guy I am (or at least I think I am), I’ve had many girls ask me private questions before and naturally, I’d be more reluctant about answering them in a quiet mall where everyone can hear everything as opposed to if I was sitting at her house or something. I remember one time when my one of my god-sis asked me something super private in the middle of a mall food court and I was like, “There’s no way I’m answering that question until we get home.” I think we all have an expectation of privacy and certainly, I’m sure other people around wouldn’t want to hear the conversation anyways. Therefore out of respect for others and myself, I would say that we should respect the feelings and privacy of a woman when it comes to asking such questions, especially when it is not someone you know well. I would wager that when you ask a woman who you don’t know well about female topics, their thoughts would be, “Why do you need to know?” – and the likelihood is you probably don’t other than out of perversion or immense curiosity.

In a way, when it comes to women you know well, approaching such subjects come with greater danger because as said, it may end up damaging a relationship (whether romantic or just friends) that is already formed. I think that women can also be pretty understanding in that if you’re in at least “good standing” with them, that it won’t ruin a relationship unless you make the situation really awkward where they can no longer continue a friendship with you. I must say most of the girls I’m close with have all been very open about female topics with me and perhaps they find solace and comfort in confiding in me about personal topics that they can rarely talk to other guys about, even their own boyfriends. I guess naturally I’m also more inclined to make friends with those who are equally, if not more, open-minded so I suppose that may slightly skew the numbers and statistics. Nevertheless, I do believe that when I approach my girl-friends about such subjects, they’re pretty good about it. If they feel they don’t want to answer it, they’ll say so softly but without hard feelings. There are girls like Poh Ching who I’ve known for only months and even when we first started talking, we hit it off immediately and we talked about things as if we were “best friends” without barriers. I think we’ve exchanged more information with each other because of our openness, than we have with our own boyfriends and girlfriends before. There are girls like Sophia who won’t tell me anything as well 😛 LOL!

I think part of what made women this way were the way society has brought all of us up. Menstruation is a particularly taboo subject and even amongst women themselves are often discussed hush-hush. I’m glad to see that many of the girls of my generation are beginning to be more comfortable approaching such subjects because it’s becoming a more “acceptable” thing (not that it shouldn’t have been acceptable in the first place). As much as I’ve often asked girls about things like menstruation, oddly enough, I rarely approach my girls about subjects of their panties, bra size, weight and especially not their sizes. With as much experience as I had with my ex’s panties and bras, I’ve never noted her size or anything (did that make me a bad boyfriend? LOL), because it’s not something I’m just all that interested in. I think most guys love to gloat about their girlfriend’s breasts and stuff, but for as huge as my ex’s boobs were, I’ve never actually asked her for any of her sizes. So to answer the question, I don’t have much experience when it comes to asking girls about female articles of clothing. I shall put it quite frankly that I think most girls don’t find it acceptable for you to know about her sizes unless you are dating or married to her. If anything, most of my girls I do happen to know their sizes or weight only because they have told me without me inquiring. Also, it’s very natural for me to know about it because I shop with my girls a lot, so when they ask me to pick out certain sizes for them, it makes it pretty obvious as they try things on – I’m not blind you know 😀 But rest assured, I don’t really get all that hyped about that stuff. If a girl tells me her bra size, I wouldn’t be as excited as if she told me she was on her period or something, HAHAHA.

So the third type of women, one you are dating or married to then I think there needs to be mutual openness here. After all, if you’re dating and ESPECIALLY if you’re married, things like these should not need to remain a secret. Your girlfriend/wife (probably) menstruates, wears a bra, wears panties, etc. so it’s not like that is some worldwide secret or anything. If you’re in a relationship and you can’t even share simple matters like these, I don’t see any reason why the relationship should have progressed in the first place. With all my girlfriends, I have always “tested the waters” with their acceptance towards my interest/fetish by slowly introducing the topic in. You can tell whether they are open to talking about it or that they’re very shy. I know you guys listen to me bitch a lot, but honestly, bebe used to tell me a lot more about her period than she does now or within the past while. Like one of my readers said, it’s definitely a spiteful thing to do, especially she knows I enjoy knowing and what harm will it do to her? I can understand if I used her menstrual knowledge “against” her, like using it to time when she will PMS so I can mock and bother her, but no, I use that information with all the best intentions and so I can be around to be extra comforting for her. I cannot understand what logical girl would not love something like that, but hey, we’re all different. Sometimes trying to read into her makes my head explode, haha. When it comes to all the other girlfriends I’ve had, I could see they were open about sharing female topics and having even a relationship-building effect because it’s a special and meaningful way we can connect talking about female topics and I can get to know their bodies/feelings better! Topics like weight and sizes tend to be a pretty touchy subject for women, even beyond relationship and marriage, so really, it’s up to you whether you want to delve in such information. I think it’s pretty usual for a guy to know a girl’s sizes once they begin to share closet space anyways!

I only know of one girl who I’ve probably pushed away as a result of talking to her about periods. The odd thing was she was the one who approached me about the topic, which is really what pissed me off even more. I can see a girl being upset with me if I approached her about a sensitive topic, but if she was the one to begin the discussion, then that makes her retarded for playing “shy” after the fact. She began to talk about how great she thought using the Divacup was and permanently gave up using pads and tampons and then we had a very brief discussion on it. Heck, I didn’t even tell her anything about my “interest” – but just expressed I was glad she found something that she felt comfortable with and was being environmentally-conscious. She became all quiet about it and eventually stopped talking to me. I think I’d be unhappy if it was something “I did” to cause it, but she was the one who opened up to me about something as intimate as her use of menstrual cup, why the hell would you do that if you were going to be offended by it? Suffice to say, her and I are no longer friends and I have no want of “making up for it” because how can I be friends with someone who will open a topic for discussion and then become all sensitive about it when the other person begins to speak on that subject? The only other girl I can think of that I had to “make up” for it is bebe, because that is the whole reason why you are reading this blog – it is her inspiration and my way of expressing my commitment to her. When I told bebe about my interests, like most girls, she was like “wow” (in shocked way), but slowly accepted it within me. However, I needed to reassure her that knowledge of menstruation in a guy is nothing to be ashamed for her, doesn’t harm her in any way and in fact, helps her feel comfortable with communicating with me about anything, even personal bodily issues and female matters. This blog is dedicated to her because it was a way to ease her into the idea that men should know about menstruation and that it is an ADVANTAGE, not a disadvantage to have a boyfriend who appreciates it. Those are the only two scenarios where I’ve had happen to me where I felt I needed to “make up” for my actions.

I think the easiest way to approach women when it comes to these matters are through tact, exploration and to know your limits. Some women are insanely shy about it while others are open even to a total stranger. Some will only discuss it with their own gender while some will be more than happy to share their experiences with the opposite gender. I try to conjure up a conversation related to periods and see if she’ll continue in that direction. If she does, it’s likely she doesn’t feel too shy about it but if she steers away, it is likely she’s either 1) oblivious, or 2) doesn’t feel comfortable with the subject. A big factor besides knowing a person’s personality is also how close you are with the girl in question. Most of my girls I can be very blunt to, especially my god-sis’ I can just ask, “Hey, I forgot when your period is coming…” or “Do you have any pads/tampons left that I can have?” … while there are girls I would dare not be so blunt and I’d have to “work my way in” to a conversation like that. I could also say I know the girls around me well enough to know who you can approach female topics with and those who you can’t and it’s best to choose your targets correctly as it may result in dire consequences. Obviously asking a female coworker who you don’t know well about her bra size, period or weight is asking to get a lawsuit in your face. For women who are resistant to the subject, then the best thing to do is either CREATE that comfort-zone with them where they’re willing to share or simply don’t even bother. Women are entitled to their privacy, especially if you’re not in a particular relationship with them when it comes to their periods and other female topics. Choose your environment well, don’t pick places where a woman might feel exposed, embarrassed or offended where they feel at least they can be open with you about the subject-matter and try to avoid approaching the subject when she’s surrounded by others. After all, I may be comfortable sharing information with person X but not when person Y is present. Your tone and demeanour plays an important part, if you look like you want the information for perverted gains rather than for personal growth and knowledge, you are more likely to be declined an answer by the girl.

To sum it up, you simply have to know the person you are approaching about sensitive female matters. I understand no matter how well you know a girl, she may still reject or make a judgment mistake and end up damaging things, so it’s up to your discretion and choice whether you want to strike up such a conversation. Within a relationship, I believe learning about each others bodily experience helps connect partners and builds character and the relationship itself because after all, isn’t it a bond with each other that is a foundation of a good relationship? There is no right way of asking a question, only a way and how you do it will determine whether she smiles and answers your question or is a tick away from being slapped in the face 😆 There are then of course girls who I know won’t tell me but I bug them about it, but that is usually in jest and just to poke at them 😛

As people say, “Know your friends, know your enemies.”

Saved $7.99 on TWO packs of Stayfree pads – good deal eh?!

On another note, I FINALLY got to use my coupon $5 off any 2 packs of Stayfree Pads, Carefree Liners or O.B. Tampons coupon at a nearby Rexall that they just built (great excuse to scout it out) which resulted in me saving $7.99 off regular prices! I know this deal isn’t as great as the 99-cent one, but hey, my house has been empty of supplies for 3 weeks now 😀 Just for shits-and-giggles, I timed myself.. from the moment I entered the store, look me 8 seconds to locate and get in the feminine hygiene aisle, 9 seconds to get a pack of Stayfree Super Maxi Pads with Wings and another pack of Stayfree Super Maxi Pads without Wings, 7 seconds to get to the cashier, 25 seconds for the cashier to register my purchase and 4 seconds to walk out the door. In total, I managed to make two CORRECT purchases in a total of 53 seconds. I can now proudly say it takes me less than a minute to locate the right aisle and make a product purchase 😛 Of course it’d be a hell of a lot faster if the lady didn’t spend 15 seconds just staring at my coupon to make sure it was “real” before she put it in – heck, I even had my own reusable bag so I put the packages in myself while she read every letter on that coupon! Some might argue I managed to get out so quick because I’m “afraid” or “ashamed” – lol, but hardly… I’m not afraid to be seen in the feminine hygiene aisle or buying the products, it was because it was about to rain and rained-on pads are disgusting as well I arrived only 15 minutes before closing time because I was too busy talking to Amy over Skype that I lost track of time (gee thanks, haha). All in all, a decent weekend – my back hurts today for some reason though. Again, another sweet-sweet dream about bebe and woke up with my pillow all wet because I probably spent most of the night kissing my pillow thinking it was her, haha. On the weekend after acupuncture, this was the first time I think “something went awry” because I had this massive nosebleed. Whatever meridians were poked must’ve triggered something because I haven’t had my nosebleed like this for a long time, even though I was prone to it back in my “less healthy” days. I have to tell her to be careful about where she’s poking those needles if I’m getting a heavy flow (lol) right afterward because who knows what kind of effect it had on my body!

Weekly Sales #8

These deals are only applicable to select regions of Canada, Ontario. Please verify these sales against your local flyer or e-flyer before purchase!

Ya... 'cuz you know, women just have a happy period all the time 🙂

I’ve been hunting for (Original) Kotex sales for a while now… still only 2 so far and it isn’t really a “great deal”… I suppose 2.50/ea @ SDM is not too bad if I buy two. Guess I’ll check it out, see what they have and perhaps get some! The stock is running low, don’t want to let it hit rock-bottom 😛

Weekly Sales

Pharma Plus and Rexall Chains

Assorted Always Maxi Pads, Kotex Maxi Pads/Liners, Stayfree Maxi Pads, Carefree Liners, Tampax Tampons and O.B. Tampons 2 for $6.99

Assorted Playtex Gentle Glide (36’s) and Sports Tampons (36’s) for $8.49

Zellers

Assorted Always Maxi Pads/Liners and Tampax Tampons for $6.99

Walmart

Assorted “U” by Kotex Maxi Pads/Liners/Tampons Jumbo Boxes for $7.97

Fortinos/RCSS Chains

Assorted “U” by Kotex Maxi Pads (14-18’s)/Liners (50-60’s)/Tampons (18’s) for $4.29

Shoppers Drug Mart

Assorted Kotex Maxi Pads (14-24’s)/Liners (33-48’s) 2 for $5.00 [Limit 4, Sat/Sun/Mon .. or $3.29/ea for rest of the week]

Assorted Playtex Gentle Glide (18’s) and Sports Tampons (18’s) for $3.99

Assorted O.B. Tampons (40’s) and Stayfree Maxi Pads (28-48’s) for $7.99