I don’t normally buy insurance – well, I buy house and contents insurance, obviously. I even have a life insurance policy (Akra… don’t get ANY ideas). But those extra-long warranties you get when buying goods? I normally avoid them like the plague as an obvious rip off to the consumer.

Two years ago, I needed new glasses. At the time, Vision Express was doing a deal – a Grand Advantage card which cost extra up front, but offered a 2 year no quibble guarantee on the glasses and 3 year discount on any new products bought with them. As Akra needed a new pair too, and both our prescriptions are fairly costly, we worked out that we actually saved money by purchasing the insurance (using the discount part of the card). So we got one then promptly forgot all about it.

This would probably be a fairly short blog post, if it wasn’t for the fact that I chose rimless frames. Highly fashionable, suited my face – hopefully less intrusive and lighter to wear than the full-framed variety. The only thing I didn’t factor in was the new baby who was instantly fascinated by them even at a young age.

The first time they broke (just a few months afterwards) was partly my fault, partly their design. I was pulling a jumper over my head, forgot to remove my glasses first (as my previous pair had been a lot more robust and taken a fair amount of abuse). The pressure on the arm put pressure on the lens which then sheered in half. I was relieved Li’l Bhaji wasn’t in my lap at the time as he could easily have been cut by the pieces. Still, with the Grand Advantage card in hand, it was a fairly easy procedure – they fitted a new lens within an hour of me returning them.

Time went by. Several times I had to return to the shop to get them adjusted as Li’l Bhaji had bent the nose piece or the arm by grabbing them, making the glasses wonky. I was getting more and more fed up with the whole design. Cleaning them was a pain, as there were holes drilled into the lenses to hold the arms and the nose bridge, they were forever getting gunky. They never really fit comfortably since the first repair.

Then last night, Li’l Bhaji grabbed my glasses at bedtime and wouldn’t let go. It was a wrestle getting them back; I managed eventually but some damage must have been done. This morning while sitting at the computer with my morning cuppa at my side, I adjusted them slightly to push them further back on my nose. They disintegrated on touch. The screw had come away.

So, back off to the optician again. Akra had to drive me as my depth perception was completely off while wearing my old pair. I dug out my Grand Advantage card once more and expected a 30-second fitting of a new screw then we could go home. Nope. The screw had sheared away completely.

The optician gamely tried to see if he could repair them in another way, but snapped the lens in the process. Apparently they didn’t stock these frames anymore (what a surprise!) and would I like to choose a new pair to the same value? Needless to say, I chose some PROPER rimmed frames, they put brand new (but identical) lenses in them for me (a not inexpensive prescription, remember) and I now have a brand new set of glasses for nowt!

I feel slightly guilty though, that I’ve somehow conned them – even though they knew that my next sight test is only a month away (and I’d probably have ended up buying new frames then anyway). Still, I’ve certainly had my money’s worth.

I think I’ll be reusing these new frames even if my prescription has changed – will save me a fair amount.

I’ll be getting the insurance too.