Tips for trying cardboard tampons?

I usually get the plastic ones ( my mom buys them for me ) but I'm almost out and I'm going to be at my dads this weekend and he wont buy me any ( he said he will NEVER go to the " store " when I first got my period i had to walk to the store and use my allowance cuz my step mom wasnt home ): ) anyway My sister doesnt use tampons and my step mom uses cardboard so thats gunna have to work, and when I run out of plastics at my moms i want to start buying cardboard since its cheaper ( My mom pays but i know its expensive since there are 3 girls and the plastics are like 7 or 8 dollars a box for like 18 of them and a 36 pack of cardboard is only $5 ) but i heard it is harder to insert and is painful ( im 12 btw do im a virgin if it makes a difference ) ? plz help! oh and if its possible how can i make my period come earlier ( just a little like a day or two ) so i can be on it while im here and not at my dads and be off it by cheerleading tryouts? Thanks! And sorry for any misspellings i am on my phone.