Most people reorder when the shelf looks low. It works until the week it doesn't, and then you are rationing, borrowing, or paying for a rushed trip to the pharmacy.
There is a better way to think about it, and it takes about a minute.
The arithmetic
Count what is in a case. Divide by how many you use in a day. That is how many days the case covers.
It sounds too simple to bother with, which is exactly why most people never do it. The number is usually not what they assumed.
| What you buy | Count | Used per day | Days it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bladder control pads | 90 | 3 | 30 days |
| The same case | 90 | 4 | 22 days |
| Nutrition drinks | 24 | 3 | 8 days |
| Underpads | 50 | 2 | 25 days |
| Exam gloves | 100 | 6 | 16 days |
Look at the first two rows. One extra pad a day turns a comfortable month into three weeks. That single change is behind most of the "we ran out early" calls we get.
Be honest with the daily number. Count a normal week rather than a good one.
Reorder with about a week left
Once you know your number of days, work backwards and order when roughly a week of supply remains. That gap covers a delivery delay, a heavier week, or a holiday weekend. Most orders from us arrive within about three days, so a week is comfortable rather than cautious.
If you would rather not count at all, that is what automatic delivery is for. More on that at the end.
What quietly changes the number
The arithmetic is only as good as the daily figure, and that figure drifts. The usual reasons:
- The seasons. Summer and winter change how much people drink, and that shows up in what they use.
- A change in medication. Anything new can shift a routine. Your prescriber is the right person to ask about that side of it.
- Recovery or decline. Needs move in both directions, and a case that lasted a month in spring may not in autumn.
- Who is helping. A new carer, a hospital stay, or family visiting all change the rhythm of changes.
Running the numbers twice a year catches the drift before the shelf does.
Three habits that make this easier
- Write the date on the box. The day you opened it, in marker, on the end of the case. You will never have to reconstruct it later.
- Rotate the shelf. New cases behind, older cases in front. It takes ten seconds and stops dates sneaking past you.
- Keep one spare, kept separate. One extra pack stored away from the main supply turns an emergency into an inconvenience.
Where to check your own numbers
The count is printed on the case, and it is on every product page on our site. If you buy incontinence supplies, the pack count sits under the product name, so you can run the arithmetic before you buy rather than after. The same is true across nutrition and feeding and feeding supplies.
If you buy our own Nexwear range, one thing is worth knowing while you are counting: Long adds coverage front to back rather than capacity. If the issue is leaks at the edges, Long helps. If the pad is full before you change it, moving up an absorbency level is the better answer.
If the counting is the part you want to be rid of
Autoship, our automatic delivery program, sends the same order every one, two or three months, saves 5% on eligible items, and can be skipped, changed or canceled at any time from your account or by phone. It is not for everyone. If your use is steady, it removes a recurring chore. If it moves around a lot, the arithmetic above is more useful than a schedule.
Worth reading elsewhere
- The National Association for Continence publishes plain-language guides and a directory of specialists.
- Family Caregiver Alliance has practical material for anyone managing supplies for someone else, including the parts nobody warns you about.
- If you use an FSA or HSA, IRS Publication 502 is the official word on what qualifies as a medical expense and what documentation to keep.
The short version
Count per case. Divide by daily use. Reorder with a week to spare. Check the number twice a year. That is the whole method, and it works for pads, formula, gloves, wipes and underpads alike.
Questions about any of this, including what you are using now and whether it still fits, are welcome at support@savemedical.com. A real person replies, and we are glad to work through the numbers with you.
