The Vision Thing

The end of the year is coming and if you have some Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) money sitting out there, you surely don’t want to lose it.

I’m not going to suggest that you get sick between now and midnight on December 31,2009, but I will suggest that perhaps some new glasses are in order. Even if all you’ve got left in your HSA account is less than $20, I know where you can get at least one pair of glasses (and maybe even two – if you’re willing to toss in a couple bucks after-tax.)

Go to Zenni Optical (www.zennioptical.com) and you can get prescription glasses starting at $8.00 – yes, starting at less than $10 and they are indeed prescription lenses. You will need to get your eye glasses prescription from you optometrist (be sure that the PD distance is completed because you’ll need that to get your prescription filled properly.)

If you need bi-focals, you will pay a bit more for your lenses. You can get the lenses tinted for about $5.00 extra dollars, as well.

I recently ordered six pairs of glasses for about $70 – total. I got five pairs of regular glasses and paid to have the lenses tinted on one pair to use as sunglasses. I got some pretty funky glasses.

I really like them and get compliments on them all the time.

In fact, I like them so much, that I hardly ever wear my contact lenses any more.

This past weekend was my first time using Fare for All to help stock my home food shelf.

Fare for All is a program for people to get food at a big discount (about 40%) run by the Emergency Food Network. The only requirement is that participants do 2 hours of volunteer work each month. You can do the volunteer work anywhere. (I've been volunteering with the MS Society and working on Bake for Hope.)

The regular program is on the third Saturdays of the month at multiple locations throughout the state of Minnesota. There are about 7 locations within 10 miles of my house. Most of the locations are churches or you can go the EFN's main offices (which I think are in New Hope.) Going to the main office will save you $1 on the delivery fee. You pre-order and pre-pay for this method.

There is also an "express" program, which offers the items at various locations, but you don't have to pre-order or pre-pay. You just go to the locations during the open hours and make your purchase.

They offer several packages each month and you can buy as many of each package as you want:

• Meat only ($12) -- meat only (duh)
• Light package ($12) -- produce and one meat
• Vegetarian package ($10) -- produce only
• Regular package ($17) -- meat and produce (the meat only and vegetarian package for $5 less)
• Mega meat ($22) -- a lot of meat

I chose to the Regular Package for $17 and my pick up location was Emmaus Lutheran Church. (I picked my location based on it's hours because I had to work at Slumberland on Saturday.) For my $17, I received the following items:

• 2# onions
• 5# potatoes
• 1# carrots
• Celery (a whole package)
• Head of lettuce
• Cauliflower
• 4 apples
• 2 grapefruits
• 1 mango
• 1# ground beef
• 1# bacon
• ~1# chicken breast
• ~1# sandwich meat

I also got their "Happenings" newsletter which includes recipes made using items in this month's package (a mango salsa and carrot raisin salad.)

The next distribution weekend is May 15-16. If you want to participate, their website is www.fareforall.org, or you can e-mail info@fareforall.org or call 763.450.3880.