Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Am I Cheap?


(This post has NOTHING to do with acting.)

Cheap is such an ugly word that I don't want it assigned to me. Ugh. Frugal? Possibly. Fiscally responsible? Okay. Financially savvy? Definitely!

I never anticipated saying these 4 words, but: I need prescription sunglasses. I have to wear corrective lenses in order to drive, but because I have allergies (including itchy, watery eyes), sometimes I can't put my contacts in, which means that I can't wear my non-prescription sunglasses - I have to wear my regular glasses. I have a pair with transitions lenses, but they don't darken inside of my car (because of sun protection on the windshield), so they don't block out the bright sunlight.

For years I wouldn't spend more than $20 on sunglasses because I lost a pair every year. I would leave them places, they would fall out while I was riding a roller coaster at an amusement park...they would disappear. I've gotten better in the last few years - I haven lost a pair in quite a while (I guess I'm a grown-up now).

I had an eye exam today (that took way too friggin' long - 3 hours!!), and I picked out a BEAUTIFUL pair of sunglasses that were just what I had in mind. Classy, understated, and complemented the shape of my face wonderfully. Beautifully.

$453. And that's AFTER a discount. 'Scuse me?? What else do these glasses do? They have to earn their keep, ya know? Can I see through Djimon Hounsou's clothes? If not, you can keep 'em.

Then dude (the Dr.) made a comment insinuating that I couldn't afford them. Oooooooh...that got me. Yes, I have $453 in my bank account that I can spend on them, but there are a lot of other things I can do with $453. I can pay bills, get new headshots, visit my family for the holidays...$453 for glasses? I told the Dr. I needed to think about it (which I did - they were BEAUTIFUL), but he started doing a hard-sell; talking about 10% down and whatnot. Apparently he didn't know me. Nicole don't do "hard-sell". He even told me something about the Euro being higher than the dollar (the glasses are imports). I asked him about a less expensive pair in the same style, and he gave me a pair by Juicy Couture with gaudy gold hearts on the side (at almost $100 over than list price). No thanks. Yes, I'm black, but bling doesn't move me. (Just being silly - not really saying he was racially influenced.) THEN he told me that the Paul Smith glasses (the BEAUTIFUL ones) are like the ones that celebrities wear because of their sleek lines and the fact that they don't have a name brand emblazoned on the side. Um...how do I put this? I don't really care.

I will be going to Target to look at their Ray-Bans that are close enough in style to the Paul Smith specs that I saw today, for a third of the price.

Am I just being cheap? Is $450 a reasonable price for designer prescription sunglasses? I had no idea what they went for. I was thinking $200 at the most.

Holla @ me. Am I being unreasonable, or is somebody trying to screw me?

--Nicole

P.S. - Be sure to check out my latest posts at "Unscripted"!

3 comments:

  1. Hell No! $453 is toooo much for some dayum glasses. Girl, take yourself to target or better yet walmart to get some good and CHEAP glasses. :-)

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  2. Cheap? I would call you wise. We are in are in a recession. Plus I don't spend more than $20 on sunglasses either. I buy really nice regular glasses and make them last. Loved this entry...and I'll be looking for you on t.v.

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  3. I ended up buying TWO pair at Target for over $100 less than that. Both prescription.

    Those Paul Smith glasses were baaad though. I still think about 'em sometimes. *sniff*

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