You Can Save on Your Glasses (and Sunglasses)!

In this economy we are all looking for ways to save money. Here's another place you may not have thought of --
saving on your sunglasses, reading glasses and/or prescription glasses. Have you ever really thought about saving on your shades? Fancy ones could cost up to $150 and beyond - and even reading glasses can be $20 at a store - and prescription glasses? Gee whiz! But YOU don't have to go that route....because you are a smart consumer.

Here are some tips that I have picked up as a wise penny pincher over the years:

Use reader's glasses as long as you can if you are short-sighted. They are perfectly safe and go up to a 3.5 times magnification. I got my stylish ones at the dollar store!

You CAN buy cheap sunglasses. My optometrist reassured me just lately that nowadays even inexpensive sunglasses have the necessary UV protection - so that is no longer a problem. What difference is it to you if the glasses are last year's stock? I have gotten very nice ones from the dollar store (here in So. Cal. the $99 cent store). That way you can leave several pairs around the house, and won't worry if you lose them on a shopping trip, as I have frequently done.

Buy Multiples. When I find a deal on sunglasses I like - as at the $.99 Store, I buy multiples, as you are always breaking or losing them - or just can't find them as you leave the house. At dollar store prices your can afford half a dozen pair easily.

Re-Use old frames. When your prescription changes, try to re-use your old frames if at all possible, and just have them put new lenses in. They probably won't LIKE it - and will warn you about possible problems, but I have done it for years, and have never had any old frames broken in the process.

Note: Do you know that you can change the color of old frames by carefully painting the frames with nail polish? Polish comes in so many colors - not just red or pink.

Ask for the inexpensive frame options. It's no surprise that the optometrist/optician will try to sell you the more pricey frames for a bit more profit. However, you are not obliged to go that way. When I am choosing frames, I always ask to see the budget choices, and with some care, can usually find a pair to my liking. I do like to stick to basic traditional frame styles, as I get the best value there.

Consider using vintage frames. I have found some very cheaply in a thrift store, and use them as my strong prescription reading glasses. That saving on this third pair - after far-vision and regular reading glasses allowed me to charge it to my insurance plan - so I wasn't out of pocket for anything. And remember that vintage-styled retro NEW glasses are IN - so you can just use the real deal.

You can find vintage frames on line inexpensively. Even though some trendy shops charge you a lot for vintage frames, I found some never-used vintage frames on sale on line for $20. That's a substantial savings. (And it even listed cooperative opticians who would put in the lenses for you and not complain.)

Check out your on line options. With a simple search for "discount vintage eyeglasses" or "discount eyeglasses" - I found too many options to list here.

Try the $39 glasses option. Now, I admit that I personally have never tried this option, and I have read mixed reviews on them, but they are cheap. Be warned that you have have your own prescription and fill out fairly complicated paperwork to do this, so it's not for everybody. But for an extra pair? Maybe. And there are site which somehow say that they can even go much cheaper. www.39dollarglasses.com

Take care of/repair the glasses you have. My distance pair which I use for TV and driving broke near the hinge on the side piece. I couldn't just replace the screws, as I often do with my little repair kit (also available at dollar stores!) - so hubby had to glue them back together. Now, I can't fold them up anymore, but the lenses are fine and I leave them at home to use for my TV glasses.

Have cases for all your glasses to avoid scratching. I collect extras very inexpensively at thrift shops. And you can always use skinny plastic bags in a pinch. If the case is too large and the glasses tend to slip out, you can wrap them in a bit of foam plastic padding before you put them in.
Go to a discount chain. This is probably no longer the cheapest option, but it is convenient. I went to Foreyes for years for discount glasses. And nowadays you can get less expensive glasses at J.C. Penny optical - or Lenscrafters or a similar chain. I would wait for a sale or a coupon or a special deal, like 2 for 1 myself.

Always research your options. I have some insurance coverage for prescription glasses, so getting inexpensive frames or using vintage frames is good for me, as it will reduce the cost enough to all be covered by my insurance.

Does anyone really LIKE to wear glasses? OK, Paris Hilton et al are famous for their cool shades and the designer Karl Lagerfeld wear them inside, presumably to camouflage his aging eye area - Remember that beyond camouflage, sunglasses prevent signs of aging like crows feet from squinting (and even cataracts later on). And regular glasses or reading glasses can prevent squinting, too. So go out there and SAVE. No one will most likely be able to tell how much you paid (or saved) on them!