Nicole, you can use a regular thermometer, however there are a few slight benefits to using a BBT thermometer. For example, most BBT thermometers will remember the last temp you took, so if you take your temp at 4:30am like me (because normally during the week that's what time we get up to go to the gym, but sometimes we don't go and on weekends we don't go) it will remember your temp if you don't.
The other semi-benefit is that it measures out to the 100th degree instead of just the 10th. That's not such a big deal to me since a 10th is a 10th is a 10th, but some people enjoy seeing the difference between 96.10 or 96.19, especially in the elevated LP.
I got mine at Target for $7 and it's made by their new manufacturer Up & Up and it was with the regular thermometers and I really enjoy it over my old digital thermometer.
I think it's just personal preference.
good luck!

Nicole,
Lisa is right in that *everything* we do in TTC is a personal preference (I'm not comfortable checking my CM and CP, for instance). I definitely prefer the BBT thermometer over a "regular fever thermometer." I have many reasons, which I actually just posted the other day, but I've spent the last hour or so trying to find that post, and I can't...I just don't remember which thread it was in. Grr. Anyway, I'll keep looking for it. In the meantime, I got my BBT thermometer at Walmart for about $7-8, and it was in the same section as the other thermometers in Health & Beauty.

Ditto on the basal thermometer!
Elizabeth

Thanks Ladies. I ordered the BBT thermometer off this website. I find that it doesn't beep though after reading my temp and I leave it in for 5 mins before I have to get up...so just going with the temp that it says after 5 mins.

5 minutes?? Mine takes the temperature based off of non-fluctuation of the temp for so long but it isn't 5 minutes. But I guess you're getting a really really REALLY accurate temperature then!!

It doesnt even beep after 5 mins, that's when I have decided enough's enough and take it out.

oh geez!!
I don't know how long you've had it but you may want to send it back.
IF you have a target around you, you can get one there. Walmart has them, CVS probably does too.....There should be an alert when it's complete......

I just got it last week and have used it 3 times. It's from this website.

I dont have a Target as I live in Canada but could check out Walmart.

How do I send things back on this website??

I'm not sure, do you still have the packing slip? Maybe it tells you how. Or ask Elizabeth how. It just doesn't seem right that there is no beep to tell you what your final temp is.
Does Target ship to Canada? You can go online and order it?

I dont know if they do. I'll take a look.

I mean, in the end it was only $8 so it's not the end of the world, well $11 when it was all said and done. But I dont care that much about the $.