HealthyLife Articles

Tag: comparison

  • Shopping Around For Contact Lenses

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Contact case holder.

    Many people wear contact lenses. But you don’t have to buy your contacts from your eye care provider. You can choose to get your contacts prescription from your provider and then shop around for lenses.

    Get an eye exam

    Before you go shopping for lenses, make sure your eyes are healthy. See your eye care provider regularly. Your provider might be an optometrist or ophthalmologist, depending on your needs.

    During your visit, your provider will check your eyes and determine your contact lens prescription.

    Getting your prescription

    Your eye care prescriber can give you your prescription after your exam. Your provider cannot charge you for your prescription. You may have to pay for the eye exam and contact lens fitting.

    What should my prescription include?

    Your contact lens prescription must include:

    *  Your name

    *  Date of your eye exam

    *  Date of prescription

    *  Doctor’s name, mailing address, phone number and fax number

    *  Power, material, and/or manufacturer of the prescribed lens

    *  Base curve of the lens

    *  Diameter of the lens, when needed

    Source: Federal Trade Commission

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Refinancing Pros & Cons

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Couple sitting on floor with laptop.

    There are pros & cons to refinancing your home. It may not be the best choice for everyone, depending on their unique situation.

    Pros

    *  Lower interest rate: When refinancing at a lower rate, monthly payment decreases, and you’ll pay less over your mortgage life.

    *  Changing the term of your mortgage: When you refinance, you essentially take out a brand new mortgage. This allows you to set new terms, meaning you can either lengthen or shorten the term.

    *  Cashing out on home equity: If your home is worth more than the remaining mortgage, you may be able to do a cash-out refinancing.

    Cons

    *  Refinancing costs: There can be a lot of expenses involved in refinancing your home. Calculate whether the savings from a lower interest rate will balance out the fees.

    *  Prepayment penalties: Some lenders charge a penalty for paying off a loan early. Determine if any penalties apply and what they are, as that may add to refinancing costs.

    *  Refinancing restarts amortization: In the early years of a loan, you pay more on interest and less on principal. In later years, you pay more on principal and less on interest. Refinancing may set you back to paying more interest.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine