Condom: Costs, How To Use
Costs
The Right Time health centers stock all methods of contraception and offer free or low-cost contraception to those who need it. If you have health insurance, chances are good that you’ll be able to get this method with no out-of-pocket cost.
Condoms have a reputation for being extremely affordable and accessible. And what’s not to love about STI and pregnancy prevention that fits in your purse or pocket?
Since condoms come in a variety of materials, shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, the price may vary. Most basic condoms cost around a dollar, but splurging on condoms of different sizes, appearances, and materials might increase comfort and/or pleasure.
How To Use
Condoms are pretty easy to use, but life isn’t high school health class, so follow the tips below. And remember—if you’re relying on condoms, you have to remember to use them EVERY SINGLE TIME.
How to put a condom on
- First things first: Before you use a condom, check the expiration date. Just like cheese, condoms can go bad. (Outdated condoms break easier.)
- Put the condom on before your partner’s penis touches your vulva. Pre-cum—the fluid that leaks from a guy’s penis before he ejaculates—can contain sperm from the last time the guy came.
- One condom per erection, please. (So stock up.)
- Be careful not to tear the condom when you’re unwrapping it. If it’s torn, brittle, or stiff, toss it and use another.
- Put a drop or two of lube inside the condom. It’ll help the condom slide on, and it’ll make things more pleasurable for your man.
- If your partner isn’t circumcised, pull back his foreskin before rolling on the condom.
- Leave a half-inch of extra space at the tip to collect the semen, then pinch the air out of the tip.
- Unroll the condom over the penis as far as it will go.
- Smooth out any air bubbles—they can cause condoms to break.
- Then lube up, and get at it.
How to take a condom off
- Make sure the guy pulls out before he’s soft.
- One of you should hold on to the base of the condom while he pulls out so that semen doesn’t spill out.
- Throw the condom away in a trash can (preferably one that is out of the reach of children and pets). Don’t flush it down the toilet! That’s just bad for your plumbing.
- Make sure to wash up his penis with soap and water before it gets near your vulva again.
