I’ve been wearing eyeglasses since I was 8 or 9 years old. I’m going to be honest before I got eyeglasses I always thought that wearing glasses made people look cool. I’ve never thought glasses were uncool, I always thought they made people appear smarter. I wanted desperately to wear glasses. Then I started wearing them and my eyeglasses just became a part of my life. My glasses didn’t bother me at all, until high school. I never really noticed anyone teasing me for wearing them. Or maybe I just didn’t care?
I did however notice as an active high-schooler, that wearing glasses was inconvenient, and a pain in the butt. As an active member of a swim club, working as a babysitter, and also working at a fast food place. I would spend most of my free time swimming at the pool, or hanging out with my friends at the pool. Being unable to see without your glasses and having a love for being in the water, is a situation. Wearing goggles wasn’t really an option, because I couldn’t see without my glasses.
I went to the optometrist and got some contact lenses, but those are a pain as well. Having to carry around a contact lens case and eye solution. Also, the cost of contact lenses was expensive for me at the time. So I’d leave my contacts in my eyes for weeks. Then I continued to reuse my contacts even though I was told, my contacts should be thrown in the garbage weekly. I wanted the freedom of being able to see without all that. I thought about laser eye surgery, my mom had it done around that time. The idea left my mind as quickly as I had thought it.
Fast forward to seventeen.
I remember getting an eye exam at seventeen, the optometrist mentioned that my prescription on my glasses had only changed slightly. I thought this would be the perfect time to ask about laser eye surgery because I was over glasses if I’m being honest. Ha ha. The optometrist said that I would make a great candidate after I turned 18. The thought lingered in the back of my mind for months. Then life happened, I got pregnant with my oldest and it wasn’t until I was 19 that I booked a laser eye consult.
On the day of my appointment, I was eager to hear some good news. I did all of the tests and then I mentioned that I was still breastfeeding. The optometrist that did my tests said that based on my eyes at the time, I was a good candidate for laser eye surgery. However, I would have to wait till six months after I finished breastfeeding. Then repeat all the tests in order to tell if I’d still be a good candidate. I wasn’t aware that breastfeeding can affect your vision. However, the lady that did my eye exam was optimistic for me. I received a pamphlet with a quote on how much each eye would cost to get lasered. I left feeling disappointed.
PRK Laser eye surgery wasn’t a priority at the time.
As the years went on the idea of laser eye surgery dangled in the back of my mind. I ended up having a few more children and it never really was at the top of my priority list to get the surgery. I always brushed away the idea with excuses like “I can’t afford it“, “now isn’t the time“. Looking back I know now that I didn’t feel like I deserved to spend that much money on myself. Which looking back seems ridiculous to me…
At the beginning of January 2020, I really took a look at my spending. I had maxed out my $5000 credit card and I was foolishly overspending over my credit limit. *Facepalm* On January 13th, 2020 my credit card balance was sitting at a whopping $7,138.91 when my credit limit at the time was $5000. The bank was charging me 24% of interest every single month and an over-limit fee of $29.
Enough was enough.
A little late to the game I snapped out of the funk I was in. I’ve always been big into budgeting, but this time I wrote down a budget with intent. We were planning on moving in March 2020 and I really wanted to get my debt under control before then. Before my next credit card statement, I was able to drop $486.23 in payments towards my credit card. Then by my March 2020 statement, I dropped $620.29. On my April 2020 statement, I had made a payment of $920.58 bringing my credit card to $5597.78.
I was over the moon excited at the progress I had made in a few short months.
As my debt lowered, I started to feel better about myself. I was finally starting to see the silver lining. In April 2020 I took advantage of the interest grace period due to Covid. The bank only charged me half of my interest rate for the month, and I ended up only paying half the interest I’d normally have to pay. That meant more of my money was able to go towards my actual debt.
By May 2020 I had managed to get my credit card low enough below my credit limit. I was using my credit card responsibly. Which should have been what I did from the beginning but eh we live and learn. I was paying for our groceries and some of the utilities with my cards than paying it off right away. I’ve got a cashback credit card, so whenever I use it I get a small percentage of cash-back. When looking for a credit card, I definitely recommend that you get one that gives you something back in return.
In addition, to that, I started to round up my payments on my budgeting sheet so that I was making more payments towards my credit card but I didn’t notice the extra payments. I started picking up more shifts at work and staying later, I was being more attentive to my spending. Also, we weren’t really allowed to go anywhere ( yay pandemic.. not ) so I was basically just going back and forth from work.
I got another side hustle at the end of June.
I joined Juice Plus at the end of June 2020, and I started to see some small paychecks from that woohoo. That money helped me pay some bills, make a few extra payments to my credit card, and I was even able to treat myself to some AirPods. Our family got two Tower Gardens ( fortunately our school board paid for one of the Tower Gardens ) and that helped cut down on our grocery budget a bit. We are big salad eaters and lettuce gets pricey when you’re buying it for six people. I also planted peppers, basil, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Being a go big or go home type of person when I set my mind on a goal. I planned to pay down my credit card to a zero balance = pay off all my debt. Then I was planning on putting the laser eye surgery on my credit card, and I was going to pay that off as well. That way I was upping my credit score, and I was also going to be receiving cash-back on my credit card from putting the surgery on it.
Realistically my goal for getting the surgery before Christmas wasn’t going to happen. Which turned out to be a good thing, I took my vacation pay from work (we get paid out yearly) and dropped that on my credit card. I took advantage of my GST money, and put that towards my debt. I even filed my income taxes early and dropped my refund on my card, which I do every year anyway. Ha Ha. I also even had a little bit of luck 😉
I had paid off my credit card just a few days before February 27th, 2021, and I was anxiously waiting for the payment to show up on the banks’ system. On February 27th, 2021 after a very exciting moment of checking my bank account to see that the payment had gone through.
I quickly messaged the receptionist at Clarity Laser Vision and asked her what surgery dates she had available. The receptionist responded on March 2nd and told me she could have me booked for March 31st because I had to do drops a month before surgery. A quick email later and I was booked!
I was finally booked for the laser eye surgery!!!
Typically the office wants you to pay for the surgery on the day of surgery. Unless you are applying for financing, then you need to be approved before the surgery date. On March 8th, 2021 I paid for my surgery with my credit card, and then immediately paid off the surgery. It was so nice to not have to worry about making payments or debt. The most rewarding part of it all was I did it on my own financially.
I couldn’t have done it without the support of my mom and a few other people. I’m grateful I have those people in my life. I can’t wait until the surgery is over and I’ll be able to relax. I’m looking forward to being able to relax with a face mask on and still being able to see. 🙂