This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of VSP Individual Vision Plans, and the opinions expressed here are our own.
Four eyes. Specks. Poindexter. Frame face. Coke bottles. Goggle eyes. Brainiac. Since the age of eight, I have worn glasses or contact lenses (except for that span of time when I had Lasik and it was actually working.) Throughout childhood, I heard every one of those nicknames whether they were meant in love – or not. Luckily these days, glasses have become a fashion accessory, and people of all ages can now have multiple pairs of glasses. We vision-challenged people can change them to fit every mood and situation. Between Triton and me, we must have at least 10 pairs right now.
Glasses Are Expensive!
Thing is, those glasses and contact lenses can be expensive. Ah, the price of looking good! Whether we get our frames from a designer boutique or the dollar bin at the local thrift store, the corrective lenses that fit inside those stellar fashion statements are PRICEY. So are contact lenses, which I wear almost every day. Add a few bells and whistles like bifocals or astigmatism into the mix, and the regular lens costs skyrocket for both glasses and contacts. Thank goodness for our vision insurance, that helps pay for a portion of these costs.
But What About Retirement?
These days we’ve started planning for retirement, and the clock is now ticking on an exit plan that will be here before we know it. When both our girls leave for college (four more years people, four more years) we’ll be looking our retirement plans square in the face. We’ve begun to research options and lay plans for what’s to come, and one of the biggest questions is about health insurance. Considering the nuts and bolts of it all, for vision insurance we’re really happy to have found VSP Individual Vision Plans.
On a fixed budget, every expense needs to be calculated and projected. Regardless of wealth, when you stop working, the new income stops rolling in and you’ve got to be prepared.
Retirement at a Younger Age
Retirement looks a lot different than it used to in my parents’ lives. For them, retirement meant stopping work at a late age and settling into a quiet and controlled life until “the end.” That’s not happening for our generations. People are retiring younger and younger, and there is an entire philosophy and movement dedicated to early retirement called FIRE. FIRE stands for “Financial Independence, Retire Early.” Jeez, if I had started planning earlier I could have retired at age 35? Wow!
Now retirement most decidedly does NOT equal old age.
Vision Care Insurance in Retirement
Whether you’re 35, 55 or 75, those healthcare costs in retirement can hit you hard. The last thing Triton and I want to be worried about is health insurance, and particularly vision care insurance. When we found VSP Individual Vision Plans, we were thrilled to learn about the plan’s great options for people post-retirement.
We have VSP vision coverage already under our current healthcare plans through work, so it will be an easy transition for us to get a VSP Individual Vision Plan post-retirement. What we didn’t know is that VSP Individual Vision Plans was the first to market with vision insurance for retirement, more than 10 years ago. As the innovator in this space, VSP Individual Vision Plans has perfected ways to offer retirees multiple solutions to fit many lifestyles in retirement.
Our research tells us we can continue our insurance with VSP Individual Vision Plans for as little as $13 per month. VSP Individual Vision Plans include annual benefits that cover a whole host of things we might take for granted when still working:
- A comprehensive eye exam
- Prescription lenses with covered lens enhancements like progressives
- A generous allowance for frames and/or contacts
- A wide selection of brand name frames
- Access to the largest network of independent doctors so you have a good chance of keeping your same eye doctor once you retire
In fact, one-in-four people in the U.S. are VSP members. Suffice it to say, VSP knows what they are doing.
As we build our budget spreadsheets for our retirement plans, we are most definitely building VSP Individual Vision Plans into our projections. One less thing to worry about as we enter this next phase of our lives!
For more information, go to GetVSPDirect.com or call 877-988-4746.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of VSP Individual Vision Plans, and the opinions expressed here are our own.
So awesome that you are spotlighting this male couple! Way to go VSP!
I love seeing your beautiful family. We too our in pre-retirement planning mode and appreciate this info about vision care plans.
Thanks Lori – it is a great plan!
Great, inclusive article. I’ve always loved VSP – this is just another reason to do so. 🙂
Yes, it was really nice to be included!