Overheard at Work

[Rosy]

Before I finally had an eye operation (technology was finally at a level to help me:) I always had to get lenses with all the bells and whistles to help me see better, even a 5% improvement for someone who is 16 in one eye and 14 in the other is worth it.
Think bottom of a coke bottle glasses even though I paid extra for "real glass" which can be ground finer/thinner which means you can see better instead of plastic lenses.
No matter if I got them in the US or in Germany the lenses alone were always outrageous - the best I ever got was a deal for two for $1100.

Even the frames are not created equal there were some not suitable to hold such thick glasses, they would have popped out etc.

I spent a fair amount on new glasses after the operation without looking at the price of the frames, because for once in my life I wanted something that was a flattering style, fit well and wonders of all wonders I also got cool prescription sunglasses:) 

Now that my prescription has settled and will not change - I can finally take advantage of a free lens and frame program by a local manufacturer. A huge expense - now totally gone.

[mm1970]

There's a big difference between shopping for glasses you wear in the evenings to read when the light isn't so good or for driving in bad weather and glasses that are on your face every waking second. My prescription is still worsening slightly every eye test, so I assume my glasses are only going to be good for two years no matter what. I start looking at the cheapest frames and work my way up the price brackets til I find something I like well enough for it to be a permanent part of my face. Sometimes that's £40, sometimes that's £240. And I have made the mistake of not spending enough on lenses before.

You know you don't have to get new frames just because you need a new prescription, right?

No, but you do need to make sure you have 2 working pairs of glasses.  If you need a new prescription and give them the old frames (I've done that), you'll need a back up pair of glasses in the meantime.

I finally decided to try Costco instead of my spendy lovely eye doctor's office.  My last visit to the eye doc, with insurance, my progressives came out to $600.  So I passed.  Got reading glasses instead.

The following year, new insurance worked at Costco (prior year did not).  Nice glasses (nope, not fancy, plastic frames) with insurance for $75, plus $10 for the exam.  As I expect to need new progressives every 2 years now (approx), Costco is the way to go.

[geekette]

Unfortunately, no one but my optometrist’s office can fill my prescription. Once you need both a high prescription and the usual age related near sightedness, you’re sunk. Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s, Zenni, you name it, I called ‘me. They don’t stock.

Mine were still around $500 all in (high index, scratch protect). They’ll last me 4-5 years, so I suck it up and pay. 

[pbkmaine]

Got to talk with a colleague on glasses, which are privately bought in this country. Just some short remarks while we were walking the staircase.

She: I have a headache.
Me: Maybe you need new glasses?
She: I just have new glasses. They cost me a fortune and better be good.
Me: Yes, glasses are way too expensive. Mine cost an outrageous $400! (purchased before becoming Mustachian)
She: Mine cost $1100!

So I thought my glasses were expensive. Obviously it could have been a lot worse...

Wow! How is this possible? What is the feature that makes it expensive?

If you are very nearsighted and want high-index lenses so that the edges aren’t super thick, and if you want progressive bifocals on top of that, you can easily spend $1,000.

[Feivel2000]

Got to talk with a colleague on glasses, which are privately bought in this country. Just some short remarks while we were walking the staircase.

She: I have a headache.
Me: Maybe you need new glasses?
She: I just have new glasses. They cost me a fortune and better be good.
Me: Yes, glasses are way too expensive. Mine cost an outrageous $400! (purchased before becoming Mustachian)
She: Mine cost $1100!

So I thought my glasses were expensive. Obviously it could have been a lot worse...

Wow! How is this possible? What is the feature that makes it expensive?

If you are very nearsighted and want high-index lenses so that the edges aren’t super thick, and if you want progressive bifocals on top of that, you can easily spend $1,000.

Seriously? Are these US prices? Maxed out glasses start here around 300€. Of course, it's not designed by Porsche, but still...

[LennStar]

Got to talk with a colleague on glasses, which are privately bought in this country. Just some short remarks while we were walking the staircase.

She: I have a headache.
Me: Maybe you need new glasses?
She: I just have new glasses. They cost me a fortune and better be good.
Me: Yes, glasses are way too expensive. Mine cost an outrageous $400! (purchased before becoming Mustachian)
She: Mine cost $1100!

So I thought my glasses were expensive. Obviously it could have been a lot worse...

Wow! How is this possible? What is the feature that makes it expensive?

If you are very nearsighted and want high-index lenses so that the edges aren’t super thick, and if you want progressive bifocals on top of that, you can easily spend $1,000.

Seriously? Are these US prices? Maxed out glasses start here around 300€. Of course, it's not designed by Porsche, but still...

I paid 420€ half a year ago for my current set. That is with the insureance part already deducted.
-7 on both sides, cylinders, not-reflecting and plastic, not glass.

Of course you can have one for zero, just insurance part. But that is ultra-heavy glass with reflections and lots of color disturbance.
No, thanks. It is already bad enough (4,2mm thick on the outside, and they are nearly the smallest that exist. Normal glass would have been 6,X mm and double the weight.)

[Feivel2000]

Even 420€ is not "easily $1000".

[daveed]

You can get glasses from Zenni for around $20-40. I "splurged" and got the more stylish Warby Parker since I liked being able to go to the store and try them on in person. They still only cost around $100 and I've had them for two years. I get lots of compliments on the glasses.

https://www.warbyparker.com/eyeglasses/men?availability=hto

[Sibley]

You can get glasses from Zenni for around $20-40. I "splurged" and got the more stylish Warby Parker since I liked being able to go to the store and try them on in person. They still only cost around $100 and I've had them for two years. I get lots of compliments on the glasses.

https://www.warbyparker.com/eyeglasses/men?availability=hto

My mother's prescription before surgery was not covered by Zenni, or even by some eye doctors. Her vision is messed up enough that switching eye doctors is a problem, since their competence is not guaranteed. Even now, I don't think that many of the online places could get it right.

[jinga nation]

My husband's glasses could easily cost 1100 USD if he went to an upscale store. He wants thinner lenses due to looking better and the glasses not being so heavy. Thankfully he can get them at cheaper stores for around 200-400 USD. I could buy glasses for less than 100 USD if I like since I have a small correction and I can use standard lenses but I tend to buy ones for around 200 as I get so much more for that price when it comes to quality. Many of the cheaper plastic frames will bend easily and the plastic may change colors. I can usually use the same glasses for 3-4 years so I rather pay a little extra and they last for that long then paying less and they only last a year or so. My husband works in a physical job so his glasses usually only last 1-2 years due to wear so he tends to go for the cheaper frames for that reason. When the frames are starting to look crappy he has usually a lot of scratches on the lenses anyway. He does pay for the treatment that makes them a bit more durable but that is not enough. I also cannot wear contacts so we have to suck it up and pay for glasses regularly. I hope that if he gets a more permanent position he might be able to get some kind of work glasses from his employer. He has gotten his own protective glasses now at least that covers the glasses properly but there are so many things he does that may still scratch the glasses and that you cannot use protective glasses while doing.

Why not purchase glasses (including protective ones) from 39dollarglasses.com or Zennioptical?  I have used both services.   You don't get premium quality glasses, but getting impact resistant prescription ones for work are VERY nice to have, and cheap enough to replace every year. And safer because you can see out of them better than using the cover.   DH has a prescription around -7 and liked them

Wife tried both you mentioned. $39 is terrible, tons of lens scratches, frame issues. Zenni is just fashionably-looking frames, more form than function. Didn't work for wife's face, not sitting right, etc.
Wife gets good frames locally every 2 years covered by insurance. Or a small copay.

[Ever_Anon]

Overheard secondhand from my wife's work, as texted to me.

Wife: "Have you added up how much it costs you to buy lunch every day?"
Coworker: "Yes, and it's less than I spend at the grocery store."
Wife: "My sandwich cost less than 50 cents. Your lunch cost $15."
Coworker: "Yeah, but I buy organic stuff."

We've estimated this woman spends roughly the same amount of money on work lunches alone as we spend on all our food combined. That includes restaurant meals, alcohol, and various toiletries/cleaning supplies, (since we tend to pick those up when grocery shopping).

This same woman is apparently not saving much, (if at all), because "there's never anything left over to save." I just can't fathom that level of financial stupidity.

[Sugaree]

I'm so glad that the people I now work directly with aren't too bad.  I know that at least two out of the four have some CC debt, but nothing outrageous.  A third is a single guy who makes good money so he's not in debt, but he's not saving more than 5 or 10 percent for retirement.  We have team lunches and stuff, but we've pretty much built up our own little guerrilla kitchen so most of our team lunches consist of going to the grocery store to buy stuff to cook in the office.   


Now, there was a guy here about five years ago.  Whew.  He was a financial trainwreck.  Take someone with a prescription drug problem and add a wife who also has a problem not only with the pills, but also compulsive spending.  Add a dash of fraud, a three-pack-a-day, and a two-energy-drink-a-day habit.  What you end up with is someone who has $10k+ in medical bills (dr. shopping), numerous maxed out CCs, and lots of creditors calling.  He would go so far as to figure out how many miles it was from their house to wherever it was they were going and calculate exactly how much gas they needed to put in the car to get there and that's how much they'd put in.  It was insane.

[Warlord1986]

My supervisor said she and her husband have nothing saved for their 10 year old's college fund. But they had that trip to Disney earlier this year, and runs to Starbucks are a priority.

[elliha]

My husband's glasses could easily cost 1100 USD if he went to an upscale store. He wants thinner lenses due to looking better and the glasses not being so heavy. Thankfully he can get them at cheaper stores for around 200-400 USD. I could buy glasses for less than 100 USD if I like since I have a small correction and I can use standard lenses but I tend to buy ones for around 200 as I get so much more for that price when it comes to quality. Many of the cheaper plastic frames will bend easily and the plastic may change colors. I can usually use the same glasses for 3-4 years so I rather pay a little extra and they last for that long then paying less and they only last a year or so. My husband works in a physical job so his glasses usually only last 1-2 years due to wear so he tends to go for the cheaper frames for that reason. When the frames are starting to look crappy he has usually a lot of scratches on the lenses anyway. He does pay for the treatment that makes them a bit more durable but that is not enough. I also cannot wear contacts so we have to suck it up and pay for glasses regularly. I hope that if he gets a more permanent position he might be able to get some kind of work glasses from his employer. He has gotten his own protective glasses now at least that covers the glasses properly but there are so many things he does that may still scratch the glasses and that you cannot use protective glasses while doing.

Why not purchase glasses (including protective ones) from 39dollarglasses.com or Zennioptical?  I have used both services.   You don't get premium quality glasses, but getting impact resistant prescription ones for work are VERY nice to have, and cheap enough to replace every year. And safer because you can see out of them better than using the cover.   DH has a prescription around -7 and liked them

Wife tried both you mentioned. $39 is terrible, tons of lens scratches, frame issues. Zenni is just fashionably-looking frames, more form than function. Didn't work for wife's face, not sitting right, etc.
Wife gets good frames locally every 2 years covered by insurance. Or a small copay.

This is what happens even with the glasses he buys now so I don't know if we would even dare to try an even cheaper option.

[mm1970]

Unfortunately, no one but my optometrist’s office can fill my prescription. Once you need both a high prescription and the usual age related near sightedness, you’re sunk. Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s, Zenni, you name it, I called ‘me. They don’t stock.

Mine were still around $500 all in (high index, scratch protect). They’ll last me 4-5 years, so I suck it up and pay.

Goodness, how high is your prescription?  I'm at 5.something (don't remember, 5.5? 5.75?), and I thought that was bad! (plus age related nearsightedness).

[slugline]

Goodness, how high is your prescription?  I'm at 5.something (don't remember, 5.5? 5.75?), and I thought that was bad! (plus age related nearsightedness).

My prescription has been in the minus low to mid-teens my entire life. I would trade for a 5-something in a heartbeat! :) I've never had the convenience of "glasses in an hour" -- the work always has to be farmed off-site.

[geekette]

Unfortunately, no one but my optometrist’s office can fill my prescription. Once you need both a high prescription and the usual age related near sightedness, you’re sunk. Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s, Zenni, you name it, I called ‘me. They don’t stock.

Mine were still around $500 all in (high index, scratch protect). They’ll last me 4-5 years, so I suck it up and pay.

Goodness, how high is your prescription?  I'm at 5.something (don't remember, 5.5? 5.75?), and I thought that was bad! (plus age related nearsightedness).

Apparently not quite as bad as @slugline!  Low teens in each eye. I think -12 in one and -13.5 in the other, plus astigmatism and presbyopia. Yay me!  I remember when I went to Costco and they said “We don’t have that in stock”. I said I’m fine with waiting, but what they really meant was that they won’t/can’t even order it.

[ixtap]

Unfortunately, no one but my optometrist’s office can fill my prescription. Once you need both a high prescription and the usual age related near sightedness, you’re sunk. Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s, Zenni, you name it, I called ‘me. They don’t stock.

Mine were still around $500 all in (high index, scratch protect). They’ll last me 4-5 years, so I suck it up and pay.

Goodness, how high is your prescription?  I'm at 5.something (don't remember, 5.5? 5.75?), and I thought that was bad! (plus age related nearsightedness).

Apparently not quite as bad as @slugline!  Low teens in each eye. I think -12 in one and -13.5 in the other, plus astigmatism and presbyopia. Yay me!  I remember when I went to Costco and they said “We don’t have that in stock”. I said I’m fine with waiting, but what they really meant was that they won’t/can’t even order it.

Costco doesn't carry the high end polymers that make such prescriptions light enough to stay on my nose.

[kms]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

[AMandM]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

[I'm a red panda]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

I think some online places like eyebuydirect don't require to see your prescription (others do make you scan it.)

But since your prescription is more than a year old, you would need to see an optometrist or ophthalmologist to get a prescription; retail outlets can't sell glasses to you without a prescription.  (If you had a + prescription you could go buy off the rack "readers", but I don't think they sell those for -.) Our Walmart charges like $60 for this; their glasses are inexpensive, but you can then take the prescription and purchase them anywhere. 

If your eyes were perfect, you wouldn't need glasses. So that's kind of a weird thing to say...

[onlykelsey]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

I believe that you have to have a prescription from the last 12 months in order to buy glasses legally in the US.  I actually had another health problem (unrelated to vision, really) diagnosed by an eye doctor, so I think it makes sense to go every few years even if you had 20/20 vision (which it sounds like you don't).  I'd price shop if your prescription is weak, then immediately get a .pdf of your prescription (which they are obligated to give you but may drag their feet on in order to get you to use the affiliate to buy lenses), and find frames you like online.

[AMandM]

My daughter graduated from college two years ago and works for a federal agency.  She asked me the other day, "Would you say I'm middle class?" She has a solid income, and on her salary she and her husband have the comforts of middle class life (rent a pleasant apartment, eat well, go out every so often, buy clothes, go on vacation), so I said Yes and asked why.  Turns out a colleague in her hiring cohort said he couldn't wait to get promoted two levels so that he (single) could be "barely middle-class."  Apparently this guy won't consider any place to live that doesn't have granite countertops and SS appliances--even though she's never seen him eat anything that wasn't made by shaking up a powder in water.

[kms]

I don't need reading glasses - I'm shortsighted not longsighted.

Thanks everybody for their input. I don't have a prescription yet as I haven't been to an eye doctor in more than 5 years. Last time I went was to determine whether or not I qualify for corrective laser eye surgery, and the doctor determined that in fact I do not because my shortsightedness is too weak. And by "my eyes are perfect" I mean that my eyesight hasn't changed in the last 20+ years and I have no issues with my eyes whatsoever except for this minor shortsightedness. There are two optometrists in our neighborhood and I've asked around, apparently they both charge close to or upwards of $200 for a new patient eye exam.

I'll probably check out the next Walmart Superstore. Somebody mentioned Costco but I don't have a membership and don't really want to either. Thanks everybody, this was already very helpful :-)

[I'm a red panda]

I don't need reading glasses - I'm shortsighted not longsighted.

Thanks everybody for their input. I don't have a prescription yet as I haven't been to an eye doctor in more than 5 years. Last time I went was to determine whether or not I qualify for corrective laser eye surgery, and the doctor determined that in fact I do not because my shortsightedness is too weak. And by "my eyes are perfect" I mean that my eyesight hasn't changed in the last 20+ years and I have no issues with my eyes whatsoever except for this minor shortsightedness. There are two optometrists in our neighborhood and I've asked around, apparently they both charge close to or upwards of $200 for a new patient eye exam.

I'll probably check out the next Walmart Superstore. Somebody mentioned Costco but I don't have a membership and don't really want to either. Thanks everybody, this was already very helpful :-)

It is state dependent, but Costco Optical here you can go in and use the service as a non-member, so check that out too.

[kms]

Good to know, thank you.

[SynestheticSymphony]

Back on topic:

I have a coworker who is insanely buried in debt and working at McDonald's in addition to his full-time job "in order to get ahead."

He just used the phrase "a cheapie $500-600 desktop" to refer to the computer he's thinking of impulse-buying for his kids.

"cheapie" !== "$500-$600" when you have a negative net worth!!! *bangs head on desk*

[SynestheticSymphony]

Back on topic:

I have a coworker who is insanely buried in debt and working at McDonald's in addition to his full-time job "in order to get ahead."

He just used the phrase "a cheapie $500-600 desktop" to refer to the computer he's thinking of impulse-buying for his kids.

"cheapie" !== "$500-$600" when you have a negative net worth!!! *bangs head on desk*

Though to his credit, he did just pay of one of his vehicles today.

[SunnyDays]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

Can you just buy drugstore glasses in two different strengths and switch out one of the lenses?

[OtherJen]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

Can you just buy drugstore glasses in two different strengths and switch out one of the lenses?

Do drugstores even sell glasses with negative-value strengths? I’ve only ever seen reading glasses in positive-value strengths (believe me, I’ve looked because my prescription is -0.50).

[yourusernamehere]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

It's probably a good idea to have an exam after that long not just for your prescription but also for your eye health. We only get the one pair, right? But if you have a very low prescription like 1ish then I think you can pick up cheap readers at a drug store. (Not an expert on that, I can only see about 4 inches without corrective lenses )

[I'm a red panda]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

Can you just buy drugstore glasses in two different strengths and switch out one of the lenses?

Do drugstores even sell glasses with negative-value strengths? I’ve only ever seen reading glasses in positive-value strengths (believe me, I’ve looked because my prescription is -0.50).

I've never seen negatives in stores, but Amazon does.
https://www.amazon.com/ALWAYSUV-Shortsighted-Nearsighted-Distance-Strength/dp/B07FXGZN98/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1539996905&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=nearsighted%2Bglasses&dpPl=1&dpID=31QDRVJYoPL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

[swampwiz]

Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

I buy my frames from eBay or Amazon.  I know what size I need, so I make sure that the frames are all about that size.  I then use a place called 39dollarglasses.com to put the lens in for $30 (and often they have a "get the 2nd pair for half off" deal).  Of course, they have frames as well for $9, hence the company name, but they don't appeal to me.  I now have 5 different pairs of glasses - regular (far) Rx, no tint; regular Rx, medium tint; regular Rx, dark tint; near Rx, no tint; middle Rx, no tint - that cost me about $250 total.  I typically get a new Rx every 2 years, even though with the Medicaid expansion I get a free Rx (my eyes don't change much).

[Eckhart]

Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

[Fomerly known as something]

Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

You obviously have not actually read this thread.

[tralfamadorian]

Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

Yes, because it is absolutely critical that a sprawling, 423 page, self-congratulatory behemoth like OaW stay on track and avoid any actual useful information. lolz

[dragoncar]

Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

Yes, because it is absolutely critical that a sprawling, 423 page, self-congratulatory behemoth like OaW stay on track and avoid any actual useful information. lolz

Please stop replying to all.  Also I’d like to unsubscribe

[markbike528CBX]

Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

Yes, because it is absolutely critical that a sprawling, 423 page, self-congratulatory behemoth like OaW stay on track and avoid any actual useful information. lolz

Please stop replying to all.  Also I’d like to unsubscribe

Yep, the thread has diverged greatly from its original intent of discussing the foamy black and orange boxes.  See pg 101....
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/antimustachian-wall-of-shame-and-comedy/overheard-at-work/msg438011/#msg438011

[APowers]

Congratulations! You have signed up for Black Box Facts! Did you know that black boxes are actually orange?

Please text STOP to 54439 to continue receiving NEW FACTS daily.

[Arbitrage]

Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.

[onlykelsey]

Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.

To be fair, general retirement knowledge says if you're earning those sorts of salaries, you better have $10 million to retire, and pay for all your kids' school and college and grad school and sports and and and...  I bet a fair number of high earners actually COULD retire if they ran the 4% (or 3% or whatever) rule on their balance sheet, it just hasn't occurred to them.

[Arbitrage]

Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.

To be fair, general retirement knowledge says if you're earning those sorts of salaries, you better have $10 million to retire, and pay for all your kids' school and college and grad school and sports and and and...  I bet a fair number of high earners actually COULD retire if they ran the 4% (or 3% or whatever) rule on their balance sheet, it just hasn't occurred to them.

I agree.  However, I wasn't about to start giving that kind of advice to my boss's boss's boss.  :-)

[Linea_Norway]

Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.

To be fair, general retirement knowledge says if you're earning those sorts of salaries, you better have $10 million to retire, and pay for all your kids' school and college and grad school and sports and and and...  I bet a fair number of high earners actually COULD retire if they ran the 4% (or 3% or whatever) rule on their balance sheet, it just hasn't occurred to them.

I agree.  However, I wasn't about to start giving that kind of advice to my boss's boss's boss.  :-)

Some people have a guaranteed pension from the age of 67 of 66% of their salary of the best 10 years. Pretty good for Mustachian standards. But they think that is very low and get nervous.

One of my co-workers told me the following. He had for 15 years been living in a rental apartment in a fancy part of the capital, paying only 10% of normal market rent. When the apartment got upgraded and the rent was adjusted to normal rate, he had to move out. This was maybe a decade ago. Now he had only one financial goal in life and that was being debt free at retirement.

[Linea_Norway]

Co-worker 1 (27 years old): "When I applied for this job, I didn't look at the pension they offered. Pensions are just not interesting.
Me: But when you are 67, you will receive only (approximately) 50% or your current salary in pension. Will you be able to handle that? (FYI: In our country we don't have 401s and IRAs).
Co.worker 1: I just want to live and have fun! Not thinking about pensions like co-worker 3 wants me to do.

Co-worker 2 (41 years old): I would also like to work 80% (like me). Not right now, but when I have paid down some more debt.

[mountain mustache]

overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

[Slee_stack]

overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

Big Ass Truck FTW!

[Just Joe]

And don't forget that neighborhoods built without streetlights and sidewalks are alot cheaper than the "deluxe package" with those items.

Around here I was told the average property developer is/was responsible for all these things initially and then the city or county would take over the maintenance if it was constructed to code. I guess the average developer here wants to build on the cheap if buyers aren't demanding sidewalks.

Nobody walks, nobody bikes - we are all supposed to load up the family hauler and go to the mall and then out to eat. -eye roller-

Ugh.  There''s some busybody in town advocating that the city put sidewalks in my neighborhood and then assess homeowners.  Her house, of course, wouldn't be affected because she already has a sidewalk.

Sidewalks should be paid for by the city, for residences, when not part of the a development permit.

We went through this several years ago. Neighbor circulated a petition to have street lights added all over our semi-rural neighborhood. Nothing came of it b/c apparently we collectively prefer the dark. Besides as the town grows there is unfortunately enough light pollution to see the pavement many nights.

I might have signed on to pretty old fashioned cast iron street lights that were dim and created a nice warm shadowy light but I know what we would have gotten - typical street lights with buzzy transformers and sodium bulbs (?) that cast an unappealing light all over. No thanks.

[AMandM]

overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

OK, not everyone is into early retirement. I understand that someone would, in the name of fun, prefer a higher-spending, longer-working life. But I don't understand people who advocate for more "fun" when that costs so much present stress.  I mean, really, who's having more fun?  The guy who thinks his income is inadequate and his expenses are too high, or the one who's confident that he'll be financially secure all his life?

[LennStar]

overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

OK, not everyone is into early retirement. I understand that someone would, in the name of fun, prefer a higher-spending, longer-working life. But I don't understand people who advocate for more "fun" when that costs so much present stress.  I mean, really, who's having more fun?  The guy who thinks his income is inadequate and his expenses are too high, or the one who's confident that he'll be financially secure all his life?

You confuse fun with the feeling of secureness.
Money does not make happy (or fun for most people), but it calms tremendously.

[mountain mustache]

overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

OK, not everyone is into early retirement. I understand that someone would, in the name of fun, prefer a higher-spending, longer-working life. But I don't understand people who advocate for more "fun" when that costs so much present stress.  I mean, really, who's having more fun?  The guy who thinks his income is inadequate and his expenses are too high, or the one who's confident that he'll be financially secure all his life?

You confuse fun with the feeling of secureness.
Money does not make happy (or fun for most people), but it calms tremendously.

This, exactly. I don't see myself as denying fun to save money. More, I see how I feel more secure, and happy, and enjoy my free time more, and one could even say I have *more* fun now that I am on the path to being financially secure=less worrying.