Being able to see clearly shouldn’t come at an eye-watering cost. There are a few different ways to save money on prescription glasses. Below are a few different tips for cutting the cost of specs. 

Avoid designer brands

Glasses have become a fashion accessory in recent decades, and certain designer brands have become popular. These designer brand glasses come at an increased price compared to generic brand glasses. However, many are made in the exact same factories as generic brand glasses – so you are often just paying for a logo. You can find generic glasses in similar styles to many designer brand glasses at a fraction of the price. 

Shop online

High street opticians tend to charge more for glasses than online stores. This is because they have more costs to pay as a result of running a physical store, and therefore have to push their prices up to still make a profit. When shopping for spectacles, consider sticking to online stores to get the best deals. There are many different online stores to choose from and it’s worth comparing a few stores to get the best prices. It’s worth noting that many high street stores may also have online stores where they sell the same glasses at cheaper rates. 

Wait until the sales

Many glasses stores will have sales throughout the year in which various frames are discounted. It’s worth looking out for these sales to save some money. The Black Friday sales are a reliable time to find discounts. Similarly, you may find lots of glasses stores doing a January sale. Finally, look out for opticians stores that are closing down as they may have clearance sales that include huge discounts. 

Reglaze your old frames

Currently got some glasses, but need to update your prescription? You don’t have to buy a new frame. Many glasses stores provide the option to reglaze glasses, which allows you to keep your old frame and simply fit new lenses. This is often much cheaper than buying a completely new pair of glasses and is ideal if you still like your old frame. 

Look online for vouchers

Some opticians give out vouchers to customers, which could allow discounts on certain frames for a certain period of time. Some of these voucher codes can be found online. Check out coupon sites to see if you can find any available voucher codes and use these to buy your next pair of glasses.

Avoid lens extras and treatments

Opticians may try to upsell you various lens extras and treatments. These include reaction lenses, anti-reflective coatings, polarised lenses and blue light lenses. While some of these lens extras can be useful, they will push up the price of your glasses. Therefore, you’re best to say no to these extras if you’re on a tight budget. Of course, some opticians may have deals on these lens extras that could be worth taking advantage of.

Look after your glasses

You’ll spend more on specs if you’re not caring for them properly – constant repairs and replacements will cost you a lot of money. Make sure that you’re always putting your glasses away in their case and avoid wearing them when doing any contact sports.