How much do you think they cost including frames, super-lightweight lenses with scratch roofing and anti-glare?
Over $200 or under $200
OK, OK I can’t take it any more!!!! I have to spill the beans. If any of you heard the last podcast you were privy to my absolute meltdown rant about the reaming the Mrs took even after using a $50 for $200 Groupon worth of eyeglasses at a regional eyeglass place which shall go un-named (not in Gloucester). It was the only time I’d gotten burnt using a Groupon but my ass still hurts from getting bent over at that place. First of all the worst frames not including the lenses that they offered in the whole place started at $169. the frames the Mrs picked out were $228 Then if you wanted the standard lenses which are heavy and are thick as old school coca-cola bottles they are an additional $220 and if you want the the lightweight and scratch-proofing that is an additional $124. After hearing all this in the store I was visibly and audibly upset, knowing we were being taken advantage of and I let the guy know it. We opted to forgo the scratch proofing and lighter lenses and we paid $428 minus the Groupon which cost us $50 for $200 worth of glasses which netted $278 out the door for her middle of the road frames without any special lenses.
Listen to my rant about this experience on the GloucesterCast podcast by forwarding to 9 minutes in after clicking here-
https://goodmorninggloucester.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/041911gloucestercast.mp3
So as we left the un-named regional Eyeglass chain after shelling out the dough we got into the car where The Mrs knows I’m steaming mad. I’m mad at myself for not investigating a little more but never in my wildest dreams did I think there could be that much juice in eyeglasses but apparently I was grossly mistaken.
I was railing on and on about how screwed we just got and how mad I was. After hearing enough she starts to tell me that I’m just out of touch with prices nowadays and that it had been forever since I bought eyeglasses and that they must have gone up in price.
That’s when we made the bet. I bet her that I could get glasses at Costco or BJ’s WITH the lighter lenses AND the scratch proofing for $200 or less. She took the bet saying that there was no way.
Well wouldn’t you know I didn’t get one, but two pairs of goddamn glasses and two boxes (a dozen) contact lenses for $200.98. One pair has the scratch proofing and the super-light anti-glare lenses for $108.98 and the other at $59.99 I got without the extras as a spare.
So there you go. I paid for two pairs of prescription eyeglasses and a dozen contact lenses 30% less than she did for one pair without any upgrades. And for those of you wondering, she had a regular single prescription just like mine, no bifocal or progressive lenses.
Do your eyeglass shopping at BJ’s or Costco and save yourself some dough.
Good Morning Gloucester 
way over $200 – more like $500 with all those features.
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I don’t if you’ve already bought them, but I buy all of my glasses at Costco! I bought my lovely sisters Laurie and Kim Lufkin glasses there for Christmas last year. With all of the features you listed, plus super cute frames (and in Laurie’s case, extra-blind-people lenses) for way less than $200/pair. I’m all for supporting local businesses, but since I started buying my glasses there a few years ago, I don’t go anywhere else!
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Thanks A Lot Kate Lufkin! super blind……it is in your future too, Smarty!
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over $200
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Knowing you & your champagne tastes? WAAAAAAAY over $200. Let’s just say a whole lotta lobsters were sacrificed for these glasses.
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Champagne tastes??? You got the wrong guy sista!
I’m all about value!
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I think it’s a trick question! My guess is under.
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$400
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And you don’t need a membership to BJ’s to get your glasses there.
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I think a little Unguentine will take some of the sting out. Good price at Costco.
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Ok I paid $400 for my last eye glasses, I am going back to the eye doctor in June and will probably get a new pair, but now I will check out Costco/BJs first to see their selection. $200 for two pairs is a steal!!
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Wallmart works best for me.
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We’ve been very happy with the service, selection – and prices at Walmart. Tried a local place (“suggested” by our insurance company; w/a discount from the insurance company) and wound up paying twice as much as Walmart, with no discount!
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Joey you did even better because your purchase didn’t require buying or using a groupon. You should compare full retail to full retail.
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I’m shocked at how big of a difference there was. The second pair I got for $59 total including lenses was listed at the regional store for over $159 just for the frames! Seriously?
I just hope I can save some of our regular readers some money because that’s downright criminal!
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Thanks a ton for this information!
All 4 of my family members wear glasses, and we have been going to the ‘standard’ eye glass store chains for years. Last year I paid close to $400 for my daughter to get a standard pair of glasses; the frames were low end, and the only special thing about the lenses were that they were polarized.
I’ve been a BJs member for over 10 years and never gave a second thought to getting glasses there.
I take it you have to go to your regular private eye doctor to get the prescription?
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I went to my eye doctor the day before and simply brought the prescription
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Loved the rant. I’m trying Costco again. Got my last frames there for $69 — still going strong and attracting compliments — although had lenses put in somewhere else. I need the super-thick lenses (even the 24-hour places say my lenses will take a week) that cost about $300. So even with insurance break at the ‘recommended place’ my last pair cost me $450 ($635 without the break!). You’ll have to let me know how those Costco/BJ lenses hold up.
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Still waiting for you to post a pic of yourself in the glasses so we can see how intellectual you look…nobody will make fun of you…I almost promise that!
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