Tips For Buying Condoms If You're Shy

If you're a young man who is in a sexual relationship for the first time, you'll commonly have a lot of things on your mind — and birth control should be one of them. Thinking about birth control is responsible to you and your partner, both in terms of avoiding pregnancy and lowering the risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection. The latter might seem likely if you're in your first sexual relationship, but this might not be the case for your partner. Being young and shy can be an obstacle when it comes to buying condoms. You're likely a bit embarrassed about doing so, but this feeling shouldn't keep you from practicing safe sex. Here are some tips that you can employ.

Shop Across Town

While it might be convenient to head to the local corner store or pharmacy to buy condoms for the first time, there may also be a chance that you run into someone you know. If you're still a teen who lives at home, a surprise encounter with a parent or sibling may prove to be highly embarrassing for you, while having a nosey neighbor spot you and your purchase could also be trouble. If you have the ability to do so, shopping in a part of town in which you don't know people will allow you to buy your condoms with greater anonymity.

Research The Products In Advance

When you visit the family planning aisle of the store, you might feel overwhelmed with all of the products in front of you. There are not only several condom manufacturers, but each manufacturer has a long list of styles of condoms for different customers' tastes. This can mean that you spend longer than you'd like staring at the products in this aisle, and you may get stressed about someone spotting you. It's a good idea to research different condom brands and types online in advance so that you know what to look for and can grab it quickly.

Use The Self-Checkout

Dropping a box of condoms onto the conveyor belt at the checkout of the store can be embarrassing for the first-timer. You may feel as though the clerk is judging you or that other shoppers in your line are watching you. To avoid such feelings, be sure to visit a store that has self-checkout lanes. Doing so means that you won't have any interactions with people so that you can check out quickly and discreetly. You may even wish to buy a few other products so that your condoms won't be as visible in your shopping basket.