Justifying the Price of Eyewear

Many women, myself included, can easily rack up a $150 bill at Tj Maxx in no time at all. We love the occasional trip to the Hershey Outlets to buy a new Kate Spade bag. Or, how about that spa day because we need some pampering? We can make these financial decisions with ease, so why do we find it so difficult to justify spending money on a quality pair of eyewear for ourselves?

Let's say you budget $100 each month for new clothes. (How many of us can actually limit shopping to only once a month, though? I make more Target runs than I care to admit). That equates to $1,200 per year-and that's not even accounting for shoes and accessories. What about our nails? At an average of an appointment every three weeks at $50, keeping our nails looking good can quickly add up to $850 per year And let's not forget about our hair! A cut and color can easily cost you $180 and if you go every 8 weeks, that's about $1170 per year-and that's not including a pretty generous tip on top of that. Oh-and we definitely need that venti Starbucks to have while we run errands, right?! I know for a fact that frequent stops for coffee can add up SO fast! And these scenarios don't just apply to women; I know men like to shop while sipping on a fancy drink, too. (Not to mention expensive hobbies such as golf and cars. I happen to have a husband who can relate to all of these.)

Why is shopping for eyewear so different? Why do we have a difficult time justifying the price of a pair of quality glasses? Eyewear is an accessory; it defines our style and personality. More importantly though, glasses help us to SEE. It is so important to not only invest in our eyesight, but invest also in a shop that offers quality products and outstanding service. Why go to a big box store to be fit for a cheap frame and low quality lenses by an uncertified optician?

Spending money on a quality pair of eyeglasses should be priority. Invest in your eyes-after all, we only get one pair and they deserve to be pampered, too.

-Jen