Saving Money | Transform Your Chronic Life

See Clearly & Save: Inexpensive Glasses from Zenni Optical

By wendy, on October 28th, 2011%

Image via Wikipedia

Those with chronic illness have many things in common, and one of the ones that has the biggest effect on our ability to take care of ourselves is the massive amounts of money we have to spend on medical care, prescriptions, OTC medications, and assistive devices. Even with insurance, copays and treatments/medications that aren’t covered can amount to thousands of dollars a year (at one point, I was spending about $400 a month on copays, just for medication.)

Unless you have a really good income, that doesn’t leave much for all the other necessities of life, so any opportunity to save a few dollars can make the difference between replacing that shorted out heating pad or having higher pain levels because you don’t have the money for a new one.

It can also mean that you can’t afford to replace your old glasses, leaving you to suffer headaches and vision problems caused by wearing glasses with outdated prescription lenses, wearing broken frames that have been taped or glued back together, or having to do without.

This is a big issue in our household, since all four of us need eyeglasses, and even with the sales at the “mall stores” and eye doctor’s offices, we’d never been able to find anything we liked for less than $150. A couple of years ago, one of my roommates found a solution. He purchased a pair of fashionable, flattering eyeglasses for around $50 online. He got cheap eyeglasses that look good? We were all thrilled.

So where did he find them? Zenni Optical, an online company that sells prescription glasses at affordable prices. They have a huge range of styles and lens options at prices that are a fraction of even the “big box” warehouse stores, and you can even “try them on” by uploading a photo of yourself and using their site to show you what the frame would look like on you. (The worst thing about buying new eyeglasses, for me, has always been that without my prescription lenses I can’t really tell how the frames I’m trying on actually look.)

So far, both of our roommates, and one of our neighbors, have “Zenni glasses,” and we’re about to add another pair to the family. Hubby’s frame broke a few weeks ago, so he’s going to need a new pair.

He only wears memory titanium frames because he’s so near-sighted he can’t even see well enough to find his glasses if he’s not wearing them, and he frequently falls asleep without taking them off. (Have you ever slept in wire-framed glasses, then had to take them in to be readjusted? With memory titanium, that’s not a problem any more.) He was convinced that he’d have to go to one of the high-end stores to find what he needed, but I found a frame on the Zenni site that is identical to the one we paid over $100 for at a warehouse club, for only $24. (#311615) Guess where his next pair is coming from. LOL

order detail 3454 See Clearly & Save: Inexpensive Glasses from Zenni Optical

Hubby's expensive frames look just like this $24 frame from Zenni Optical.

One of our roommates has had his glasses for over a year now, and the other has had his for about 3 years, and neither one has ever had a problem with them. The customer service was great, the glasses got here when they were supposed to, and the fit is perfect. They’ve both said that they’ll be buying all their eyeglasses from Zenni from now on, and the neighbor who got hers there has said the same thing. The only minor thing is having to wait two weeks to get them, but she got an identical pair of glasses from one of the “mall stores,” and that took 8 days. She said that for the amount she saved, it was more than worth the wait.

Clark Howard way of buying discount eyeglasses (thebrandbarry.com)
I’m a Hypocrite (alwaysbcmom.com)

Save Money, Ease Pain & Reduce Stress – Make Your Own Bath Salt

By wendy, on September 15th, 2011%

Image by bloomingdalelibrary via Flickr

By Wendy Burnett
One of my absolute favorite activities is a nice long soak in a hot bath full of some wonderful smelling bath salts, but that can be expensive if you have to go out and buy the bath salts at the store. I’ve found out I can make my own; quickly, easily, AND cheaply; with just a few simple ingredients.

Not only are they just as luxurious as the store bought ones, but I can select essential oils that help to relax me and ease my pain, or ones that will wake me up and reduce depression. I decide what effect I want, and with a little research and experimentation, I can get it.

CAUTION: Do not use pure essential oils directly on your skin. They are very strong, and can cause burns and scarring if used undiluted. If you accidentally get some on you, use olive oil or coconut oil on it immediately to dilute it, and see a doctor if there is any pain or reddening of the skin. Also, you should never use an essential oil derived from any plant you are allergic to. (If you’re allergic to ragweed, be extremely careful of chamomile oil. They are members of the same family, and an allergy to ragweed means you may also react to chamomile.) See Using Essential Oils Safely for more information.

The Recipe

epsom salt
a glass container with an airtight seal (you can’t use plastic or metal with essential oils, the oils will interact with the container, and could introduce toxins to your salts.)
essential oils of your choice
optional: unscented sea salt to mix with the epsom salt

Note: The magnesium in the epsom salt is absorbed through your skin, and helps to relieve pain and relax your muscles. If you’re using the bath to help ease the symptoms of your chronic illness, I recommend that you use no more than half sea salt if you mix it. Although sea salt also contains many trace minerals, it doesn’t work as well to ease pain; and it increases the price of your blend because it is much more expensive.

The basic recipe is simple. For each cup of salt, add 10 drops of essential oil. I like to layer it, with a cup of salt, add 10 drops of oil, another cup of salt, another 10 drops of oil until my container is about 3/4 of the way full, then seal it and shake it up really well. It just seems to mix better and infuse the scents more evenly, especially if I’m using several different oils. For the most even infusion and blending of scents, leave the jar sealed for at least 24 hours before using, shaking it several times to remix and blend.

One of my favorite essential oil blends is half lavender and half rosemary. They are both excellent for skin irritations like psoriasis, eczema or insect bites; stimulate the circulatory system; reduce stress and fatigue; help with migraines and tension headaches; open the the bronchial tubes and help with asthma and bronchitis; repel insects; and reduce pain. Lavender also helps to reduce depression and anxiety, eases the pain of sciatica, and is helpful with vertigo; and rosemary is helpful with neuralgia and “fibrog” (it’s a mental stimulant.)

Using your bath salt:

Fill the tub with water as warm as you can handle (if that’s only tepid, that’s just fine.) Add two to five cups of your bath salt under the running water, swishing it around to make sure it all dissolves, climb in and relax for at least 20 minutes (I normally end up staying at least an hour, adding warm water as needed to keep the temperature comfortable.)

For an even more relaxing, stress-relieving experience; turn off the lights, light a couple of unscented candles, and play some soothing music or a guided meditation.

This bath salt blend is also very helpful in a foot bath at the end of a long, tiring day. It will help relieve the pain of being on your feet, as well as helping to ease the fatigue. Add one cup of the bath salt to a warm foot bath, and soak for at least 20 minutes, adding warm water if needed to keep it at a comfortable temperature.

I’ve found that taking a long, hot bath with my homemade bath salts helps me manage the symptoms of my fibromyalgia, as well as being helpful with various other chronic illness issues. Stress makes my symptoms worse, and a bath not only relieves pain and reduces muscle tension, it also helps me relax and reduces my stress levels.

With the addition of a label and a pretty ribbon, homemade bath salts also make an excellent, inexpensive gift for almost any occasion. You’ll save money, and the recipient will enjoy a soothing experience that will make them feel wonderful.

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