1. Buy discount eyeglasses online
Shopping online can be one of the best ways to get discount eyeglasses online, especially if you have a fairly simple prescription (you'll need a valid RX to order). Online eyeglasses stores offer a wide range of frames for less than $20, and bargainers can find frames for as little as $6.Why are glasses so cheap online? This is partly because opticians need to pay rent for retail space and the salaries of employees who work on frame accessories and sell glasses."There are a lot of hidden costs associated with buying eyewear from a physical store," Smith said. "When you buy online, you eliminate all of that."Need a new prescription? Make an appointment with a nearby eye doctor.
2. Buy discount eyeglasses online during the holidays
Many retailers hold seasonal sales during holidays like Memorial Day or large events like back-to-school season.
LensCrafters' annual Sight Day sale, for example, starts in August, offering 50% off glasses for children under 21 and 50% off lenses for adults who buy frames. Check your calendar for opportunities to save on glasses with seasonal discounts.
3. Look for eyewear deals
Search for discount eyeglasses online on designer photo frames. Some online retailers offer to buy one get one free special, better known as BOGO, which allows you to buy two pairs of glasses for the price of one. Smith points out that if you subscribe to an online retailer's email list, they will send you coupons and deal alerts. She signed up and then delayed the purchase until a 40 percent coupon arrived in her inbox. "I've been waiting for a discount that's worth my time," she says.
4. Join a club
Some retailers offer discounts for membership in clubs or organizations.LensCrafters, for example, offers special discounts to members of the American Automobile Association and AARP.AAA members get 30% off eye tests and 50% off lenses when purchasing frames.AARP members can get a $50 co-pay down fee plus a 30% discount on a full pair of glasses with lenses and frames. Discount eyeglasses online are not limited to AAA and AARP. Many employers offer employee discount programs that offer employees, their families, and retirees 10 to 50 percent off services and products, including eye care and eyeglasses.
5. Don't pay the list price
If you never ask your eye doctor for a good price, you may be leaving money on the table.
A Consumer Reports survey found that most buyers don't negotiate, but more than 25 percent of those who asked for a discount saved $100 or more on glasses.
Kelley Long, a personal finance coach and certified public accountant, says you should haggle with your eye doctor.
"I do this by showing the price of glasses I buy elsewhere, and they always match the price," she said.
The problem, she says, is that most eye doctors will only price-match the same frames.
If you don't want to deal with price-matching issues, you can simply ask for a better deal. "If you ask, they might give you a small discount," she said.
6. Keep your old picture frames
A great way to drastically reduce the cost of discount eyeglasses online is to put new lenses in old frames.
If you have a pair of picture frames you like that are still in good shape, this money-saving solution can work well.
It is also wise you buy glasses for a child whose vision changes frequently as they get older.