For my first real post on Milking the Dollar, I want to share my adventure in ordering contact lens online.

For many years, I purchased my contacts from the same optometrist’s office where I would get my annual exams. I had no reason why really; it was just what my parents had done, so I had followed suit. However, as the years went by, I became more aware of personal finances, and thus I began to individually investigate how to lower my recurring expenses. This winter my contacts finally became the focus of my cost-cutting attention, which led to me shopping for them on the internet. In the end, not only did I find out that I was paying too much, but as it turns out, I was paying way too much!

The hunt is on!
After being subjected to endless 1-800-CONTACTS commercials on T.V., it finally occurred to me that I needed to look into this whole contacts online thing. Thus, I visited the 1800-CONTACTS website. The brand I was looking for was CooperVision Frequency 55 Aspheric for which I had been paying $30/box for from my optometrist. Not soon after I visited their website, did I indeed realize that I could save money by purchasing from them – about 33%. However, I didn’t let the excitement of these new-found savings go to my head, and after getting over my initial joy, I continued to surf the web for the best deal possible.

After visiting multiple websites, I made my first online contact lens purchase of my life when I bought 4 boxes of Frequency 55s for $59.72 (less than $15/box) from http://www.visiondirect.com/! That’s right, after a couple of promotional codes, I got my exact same Rx contacts delivered free to my door for over 50% off. I was a little skeptical one could get contacts this easy for so cheap. However, after calling my optometrist’s office to verify my Rx, Vision Direct notified me by email that my lens were on their way. They arrived about 1.5 weeks later and the rest is history!

Things to know about ordering contacts online
As you can see, ordering contacts online can be a financially smart decision, and I recommend that all of you try it. The actual process is easy; it’s just a matter of doing it. However, even though I highly recommend this, there are a few things you should know and take into consideration before making your final selection:

  1. Shop around: There are several reputable websites besides the the two I mentioned. What I noticed is that the site with the best deal depends upon the brand you are looking for. Just Google “cheap contacts” and start your search. After visiting multiple sites, it is easy to compare and eventually select the best price for your brand.
  2. Be prepared to buy multiple boxes: One minor catch to getting cheap contacts is that you usually have to buy in bulk. The more you buy, the cheaper the price per box. Be expected to purchase anywhere from 4-8 boxes total.
  3. Search for promotional codes online: You may be able to pay even less if you can find a promotional code online to add during checkout. For example, you could type “Vision Direct codes” into Google and get several hits. See this example I found from Ultimate Coupons: http://www.ultimatecoupons.com/coupons/vision_direct_coupons.htmhttp://
  4. Use available cashback offers: This is one place I messed up. Given that I have a Discover Card, I could have used Shop Discover to earn an extra 15% cashback. Unfortunately, I got caught up in the moment and forgot all about it. Most cards have some sort of extra cashback offers, so see what your card(s) offers. However, if you don’t have a credit card, never fear! Many sites such as http://www.fatwallet.com/ allow individuals to still get some cash back.

Final Verdict: Smoking Deal!
Sorry Dr. Shepard, but from now on I’m going to be purchaing all of my contact lens online. From my own experience, this is the easiest, cheapest, and most convient way to get lens to your front door. Therefore, I highly recommend all of you do the same. Remember, however, to follow my tips to maintain maximum wallet girth!

Anyway, thank you for reading my first post. Check back soon for more money saving tips and remember – keep milking those dollars!