Moral dilemma: use friend or high street?

mildred1978

I'm a daily contact lens wearer. However, I wear glasses sometimes to give my eyes a break. My current glasses are not in a good way and I'm overdue an eyetest too.


A friend I met in the last year is an independent optician. However, her prices are in the designer category rather than the likes of Specsavers et al (and I'm not expecting much of a discount). I have cover for glasses under my private medical cover, and tend to buy mid range glasses as they are only for occasional use.

So, should I go to my friend for an eyetest and new specs, potentially paying quite a lot of money, or just get something cheap? She would definitely notice if I had new specs and I worry she'd be offended that I hadn't gone to her.

What would you do?

balletshoes

just because she's a friend doesn't mean she's automatically entitled to your business. If she asks where you got them, tell her Specsavers because they were cheap!

Threebabes

I would go where you can afford. If shes a good friend surely she will understand that you can't afford her prices and she will be fine about it.

Pee

You could go to her for the eye test, try on several pairs considering the price and comparing with what you have seen at specsavers and then make your mind up. I think there is a lot to be said from using a proper optician and the prices of the ones you like may not be much different to specsavers.

Gigglepig

Ditto the above. If you are very worried you could always tell her you have found some glasses costing x on the high street and check with her just in case she can match the price?

Some times there are good by one get one free deals in boots, that way you can also get a spare pair.

mildred1978

balletshoes wrote: »

just because she's a friend doesn't mean she's automatically entitled to your business. If she asks where you got them, tell her Specsavers because they were cheap!

Thing is, I may start a food related business in the future and I wouldn't want the reverse (eg we'll go to Tesco because they're cheaper than you).

I don't really want to traipse around looking at lots of frames. Would rather do it all in one place IYSWIM.

mildred1978

Pee wrote: »

You could go to her for the eye test, try on several pairs considering the price and comparing with what you have seen at specsavers and then make your mind up. I think there is a lot to be said from using a proper optician and the prices of the ones you like may not be much different to specsavers.

Money isn't really an issue (i just know I'll fall in love with a pair of Guccis!), and I do want to support independent suppliers rather than just get something cheap.

mildred1978

Threebabes wrote: »

I would go where you can afford. If shes a good friend surely she will understand that you can't afford her prices and she will be fine about it.

I could easily afford her, but I know how much profit she makes off her punters! Mind you, it's probably cheaper than paying for riding lessons when my son is older (she has horses )

Curlywurli

Forget the fact she's a friend. If you had a choice between Specsavers or an independent which one would you use?

I needed to buy a tv, my friend tried selling me one out of her husband's lock up garage. I didn't want to buy a tv from a lock up (friend or no friend) so I went to Argos.

nedmundo

Taking into account othe overall package - which is best 'value' - the exclusive specs with the personal service and feelgood factor or the anonymous high street where you can walk past several folks wearing the same specs in one day?

Discuss your dilemna with her and see what she can offer you 1st and then get your eyes examined where you intend on getting the specs.

onlyroz

Go to wear you'd normally go if she wasn't your friend. I've got a friend who's a stylist for Toni & Guy - and I've told him point-blank that I can't afford to pay that much for a hair-cut and I'd prefer to go to Super-cuts. Doesn't make him any less of a friend.