Today I had an eye exam and picked out frames for my new glasses. The exam, frames and materials came out to $140 (and that’s because I selected a pair of frames that was 100% covered by insurance).
I’m not complaining about the price, by any means (without insurance, it would’ve been an additional ~$300), but this just made me wonder how much my parents spent on my vision care through the years.
I’ve worn glasses since I was young, and for a while I got contacts. So assuming it’s $200 a year, for 12 years, comes out to $2,400. I wonder how much they spent on health and dental.
The more I learn about the expenses of “life”, the more I realize that being parents is a very expensive (but hopefully joyful) proposition!
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You got off pretty cheap! I had to get a eye exam, new frames and new contact lenses all on the same visit. Even with my insurance, I shelled out $460. Mostly because of the custom made contact lenses I get for my astigmatism.
Wow that’s a good deal you got! I’m also in need of an eye exam and I’m afraid that my eyes have gotten worse which means I need to update my lenses on top of getting new boxes of contacts…
I also think about how parenting is so expensive. Braces, Vision, Dentist, Doctors, clothes, food, school, ahhhhh!!
Yep, it’s part of why we don’t have kids yet. I need to get financially ready first, save as much as I can right now cause boy will it be harder later. I wear contacts and never escape the dr’s office for less than $250, with insurance. I look back on the glasses and braces and school trips, I now realize where much of my parents money went.
I wore glasses when I was younger and I bet my parents rejoiced when I didn’t have to wear them anymore. But my little brother still wears glasses. So two kids with eye problems!
I really don’t know how my parents were able to pay for everything, but my mom told me that once you have kids, you somehow ‘find’ money in your budget. Meaning, you stop spending money on stuff you previously spent money on. Honestly, I think I am too selfish right now to have kids. I want to spend my money on my hobbies! Not on buying kiddie stuff.
You should get LASIK it is a chunk of change upfront but well worth it overtime. I hated wearing glasses/contacts and now after having LASIK two years ago I wish I had done it sooner.
Wow, I think $140 is a bargain! I spent $728 for two pairs (glasses and prescription sunglasses) and thought I was getting a good deal because usually just ONE pair costs me $500-$600! Unfortunately, my new glasses aren’t as great as I thought they would be — the prescription isn’t right, even after the store tried to fix it — and now I wish I would have just kept my old ones and saved $700!
Way too long of story to repeat, but if you want details:
http://www.catsandmishaps.com/2009/03/this-is-what-i-get-for-living-little.html
P.S. Congrats on being 1% away from your freedom fund goal!
I just went to the eye doctors last week, and got new glasses, contacts, and everything. It was a bit pricey, but thankfully, my insurance covered a good amount!
The last time I went for an eye exam, I asked them to write down my pupillary distance on my prescription. I ordered glasses from Zenni Optical on a friend’s recommendation, taking the width and length from an old pair of glasses that fit well. Two pairs of hingeless frames? $50, including shipping. And they even have cheaper frames than that. =)
I definitely recommend getting glasses off the Internet instead of at full retail. My insurance covers both, and buying glasses off the Net gets me more frames and lenses for my money. =)
Blogged about my experience here: Glasses, glasses. This was my 2×2 decision matrix:
Hope that helps! =)
Oops, image disappeared. 2×2 decision matrix: I need new glasses
Though buying glasses in stores at your local mall can be expensive, do keep in mind that there can be some disadvantages when buying online as you cannot try on new frames. It is important to choose the right eyeglasses as each set of frames has unique features that may make or break your looks. To ensure your glasses will fit correctly, seek advice from their customer service regarding the products you see. Here's a great resource I found on the web which has professionally trained optical experts that are friendly and available 24/7 to assist you with any questions about selecting the right sized frames: BestBuyEyeglasses.com – the site features an expansive collection of designer sunglasses, eyeglasses, frames and lenses at huge markdowns.
I didn’t get contact lenses.. if I did, it would’ve been more. Maybe I will get them next year if I still have this insurance.
I know! And that’s for a relatively healthy child. I can’t imagine the medical outlays required of a child with a chronic disease or god forbid, a rare / life-threatening illness. Add some financial issues on top of the emotional devastation.