Kiwi women spend nearly $16,000 on periods in their lifetime

Photo / iStock

Periods are at best a mild inconvenience and at worst a serious monthly interruption to people's day-to-day lives, but what really takes the cake is the amount we have to pay for the privilege.

The average period-haver will shell out a small fortune over their lifetime on the supposed "luxury" items needed to deal with them - pads, tampons, pain killers and panty liners.

New research has revealed that British women spend as much as £18,450 on their periods over the course of their lifetime and some unscientific equations by The Herald put the spend for Kiwis at just under $16,000.

Using Countdown prices, we broke down the cost of tampons, panty liners, new undies (for when you're caught off-guard), pain relief, chocolate and chips, and other treats (in this case a magazine), by month.

A monthly estimated cost of $35.43, multiplied by the average 450 periods someone will have in their lifetimes totals a whopping $15,944.

The case for making tampons and other sanitary items tax-free or even free full stop has been raised a few times in New Zealand, the latest being in May when Young Labour Party members called on politicians to remove GST from tampons and pads.

The youth wing argued it was sexist to tax essential health items.

So, what could you buy with that $15,944?

Nearly 4000 jars of Marmite.

You could buy 3996 250ml jars of Marmite with the money spent on those pesky periods. Sure, no one really wants or needs that much Marmite but practicality isn't the point - stop denying me my Marmite, menstrual cycle.

4251 packets of TimTams.

This would actually be great, because TimTams have got to be up there with the best sweet treat money can buy when you're bloated and cramping and just want to be kind to your poor period-ridden self.

A sizeable deposit on this antique rock crusher.

Okay, so at $20,000 this would still require the use of some additional savings, but $15,944 would get you a fair few steps closer to realising all your old-time rock crushing dreams. Definitely worth dipping in to Kiwisaver for.

This Damascus skull dagger.

Apparently "this style of knife will never be repeated adding to its exclusivity," so it sure would be great to be able to get in on this amazing offer. Four words: Rimu coffin shaped box! And at a mere $12,000 there would be plenty of money left over to buy the all capes and top hats that are presumably needed to go with owning this knife.

This rock that is definitely a meteorite.

"Hi i am hoping you find this of interest,[sic] My mother who has passed away now told me along time ago that her father saw this fall to the ground he found it the next day on his land in a small depression.this would have occurred around 1920 to 1930 ... some 5 years ago i took it to a mineral rock shop and asked if [the man] could cut it ... he died 3 months later.weird. [sic]" Seems legit.

43 pairs of Karen Walker sunglasses.

You'd never have to worry about accidentally sitting on your expensive sunnies or leaving them on a table at a café again.

A spot on the property ladder in Auckland.

Just kidding.

- nzherald.co.nz