I need new contact lenses! I've been wearing the same pair of disposable lenses for an embarrasingly long time. It's a pain in the butt to make an appointment with the eye doctor and it always ends up costing me an arm and a leg - despite the fact that I have vision coverage with my health insurance. So since it's payday I made an appointment for tomorrow and hope I will come out of there with new contacts and my budget in order. According to my insurance coverage booklet, I am eligible for a free eye exam every year as well as my choice of free contacts or free glasses every year.
Last year they told me I also qualified for free glasses since I cannot work without something - glasses or lenses. But after picking out glasses for over an hour I walked out of there paying about $140 somehow. I think this was because the glasses I ultimately selected were pricey ones not included in my plan. Anyway, I don't want new glasses! I only wear my glasses for about ten minutes a day when I am brushing my teeth. I know you aren't supposed to wear contacts all the time but I can't stand seeing through glasses. I will not let the doctor's office talk me into getting "free" glasses this year!
Last year they told me I also qualified for free glasses since I cannot work without something - glasses or lenses. But after picking out glasses for over an hour I walked out of there paying about $140 somehow. I think this was because the glasses I ultimately selected were pricey ones not included in my plan. Anyway, I don't want new glasses! I only wear my glasses for about ten minutes a day when I am brushing my teeth. I know you aren't supposed to wear contacts all the time but I can't stand seeing through glasses. I will not let the doctor's office talk me into getting "free" glasses this year!
Anyway, there's my rant, here's my budget for the next two weeks:
Starting Balance = $1140
Aunt Sallie Mae - 406
Defaulted Student Loan - 260
Nice Collection Agency - 125
Boyfriend - 50
Hobby - 35
Trip - 55
Groceries - 80
Some of the remaining money (around $120) I will be using to buy Boyfriend's Anniversary Gift finally ($12), one small Christmas gift ($25) and some new clothes for the holidays (around $50). Any remaining funds will be transferred to my Emergency Fund which sits at an embarrassingly low $5.
I am going out of town the weekend after next. The hotel is already paid for courtesy of Boyfriend's hotel points but I need to pay a fee of $55 to attend an event relating to my hobby. It should be a fun time!
9 comments:
My eye doctor is the same way, I never walk out of there for less than $200. The vision plan at work barely pays for anything, they only pay for glasses or contacts every two years! Even then they only pay $100, which buys maybe two boxes of disposables. My glasses are ancient, I hardly ever wear them, so my eye doctor is always pushing me to buy new ones from her. Everything she sells is overpriced, she has a lot of celebrity clients who I guess can afford it.
I totally understand when you says you wore your dosposable contacts so long! I was the same way when it came to last pair. somehow I arrange my schedule to go doctor.Anyways i got my contacts now I am fine. Also not related to the subject money you owe to your second friend $60, you should pay that!! :)it is been sitting there since you started blogging :)
Most vision plans cover either contacts or lenses. Frames are not included, hence why you walked out $140 poorer.
And you should sit down and read specifically what your vision plan will cover. Some plans will only pay up to a certain dollar amount in contacts or lenses. So there may be some out-of-pocket expenses involved. (Usually there are.) And sometimes certain procedures and tests are not covered under the free visit. Be sure to check with your doctor before the exam starts to find out if there will be any fees associated with the visit not covered by your insurance.
Also, ask if there are any rebates with the brand of lenses you choose. I can usually get $40-$75 in rebates, depending upon whatever offers are going on at the time. But ask. If they say no, go to the manufacturers website and find out.
Thanks for the reminder Chicky! It's a little awkward since that friend is a little loose with money to begin with so I don't know how she'll respond to me mailing her the money. I also need to get her new address. I don't see her often but I definitely should pay this one back sooner rather than later.
And I've been looking into my eye coverage and I'm pretty positive I can walk out the door tomorrow with minimal out of pocket costs but I will find out.
Update: I also have a $25 dentist bill to pay.
Paying dentist bills stink. Have fun at your trip though! :)
I usually use my vision coverage for glasses since, as you point out, glasses are much more expensive than contact lenses. (You still end up paying out of pocket.) But I only replace my glasses every 2-3 years since I only wear it as a back up to my contact lense.
Also, check with your optometrist whether he/she will give you a written prescription for your contact lense. If he/she says "yes", my suggestion is to get your contacts from Costco since they are cheaper. (Check to see if your insurance will reimburse you for your contact lense purchase at Costco first, though.)
I like how you call it the 'nice collection agency'. Good job on the budget!
I need new contacts also, and my vision plan sucks. I almost always end up paying a ton. This year I put money in my flex spending to pay for it, but that means I have to wait until January to get them. So I'm wearing my glasses a lot!
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