Im 42 yrs old. haven't had a period in about 3 yrs. can't afford to go to the drs. what could be wrong?

Many causes: The most common reason for this is that you stop ovulating. This can be because you enter menopause, gain a lot of weight, get PCOS, develop a thyroid problem, etc. There is no way to know for sure without running some tests. Prolonged anovulation can increase your chances of getting cancer of the uterus.

Possibly: A 42 y/o woman with no menstrual periods for 3 years, who has unprotected sexual intercourse and repeat negative pregnancy test has a good chance to be in menopause, especially if other signs of menopause like hot flashes and/or dry vagina are present.