Help! Need to spend $550 in FSA by tomorrow!

[nrp]

DH is about to quit his job, and he needs to spend down his FSA. Bombard me with your best FSA purchases. It can't be Rx or OTC meds that now need an Rx - I need stuff I can order off Amazon or Drugstore.com tonight.

So far, we're buying contact lens solution, a new fancy thermometer, band-aids, and sunscreen. I wish I needed a new breast pump!

[rin]

Cough medicine? Painkillers (Tylenol, etc)?

[smiles33]

Do any of you need new glasses or disposable contact lenses (I know you mentioned CL solution)? That can suck up a couple hundred dollars!

Also, prescription sunglasses?

[legaleagle]

If you really can't use it up, maybe buy a pump and sell it on CL?

[AngB]

Home blood pressure monitor?
Breastfeeding supplies?
An ear thingy so you can look in your kids ears yourself...(sold at walgreens apparently.)

[nrp]

If you really can't use it up, maybe buy a pump and sell it on CL?

I thought about that, but I think that it probably isn't kosher to buy stuff with FSA dollars to resell?

[nrp]

Cough medicine? Painkillers (Tylenol, etc)?

I've done this in the past, but a lot of this stuff now needs a doc's note or Rx (even though it is OTC) to qualify for FSA. So annoying!

[crl]

I don't know what's eligible so these are just ideas.

Contacts
Sunglasses
Bug spray
Antibiotic ointment (and or the new spray versions of these)
Ace bandage wraps
Cold packs
Heat packs
Pedialyte
Tylenol
Ibuprofen
Cold meds
Benadryl
Pepto
Cough drops

Catherine

[sntm]

Did you check to be sure he loses the FSA money? It seems wrong that he would lose that.

[TwoBees]

thermometer
thermometer probe covers
Sunscreen
contact lense solution
saline spray
nasal wash
family planning "supplies"

See drugstore.com's FSA section here:
http://www.drugstore.com/fsa-store/qxg59875-0

[nrp]

Did you check to be sure he loses the FSA money? It seems wrong that he would lose that.

Doesn't it?? But, yes, we checked. I had heard this from other companies before, so I wasn't surprised, but it still seems awfully unfair.

[kep]

Can you pull together a kick-@ss first aid kit? Nice new thermometer?

[ett]

Does humidifier still qualify? It did several years ago.

[nrp]

Does humidifier still qualify? It did several years ago.

Just checked - would have been great, but no luck!

[wolverine2]

We just got some ideas from my employer:

Eligible Over-the-Counter Items

The following is a high level list of Over-the-Counter (OTC) items that clearly are not medicine or drugs and are eligible for purchase with Health Care FSA Plans.


Alcohol, peroxide, Epsom salt,
Pedialyte, Enfalyte
PoliGrip, Benzodent, Efferdent
Insulin, Ascencia, One Touch, Diabetic Tussin, insulin syringes; glucose products
Thermometers, blood pressure monitors, cholesterol testing
ACE, Futuro, elastic bandages, braces, hot/cold therapy, orthopedic supports, rib belts
Contact lens care
Pregnancy and ovulation kits
Band Aid, 3M Nexcare, non-sport tapes
Hearing Aid/Medical Batteries
Attends, Depend, GoodNites for juvenile incontinence
Reading Glasses and Maintenance Accessories

[infomama]

if I remember correctly drugstore.com has a FSA tab.....check that?

[wolverine2]

DH is about to quit his job, and he needs to spend down his FSA. Bombard me with your best FSA purchases. It can't be Rx or OTC meds that now need an Rx - I need stuff I can order off Amazon or Drugstore.com tonight.

So far, we're buying contact lens solution, a new fancy thermometer, band-aids, and sunscreen. I wish I needed a new breast pump!

You can buy sunscreen with FSA money?

[ahisma]

Lice comb!

http://www.drugstore.com/epilady-robi-comb-pro-electric-lice-comb/qxp349586?catid=59973

If you ever need it, you'll be SO happy to already have it.

[ett]

You can buy sunscreen with FSA money?

Yup, sunscreen is FSA eligible.

[speo]

I would probably spend at least $200 on sunscreen. We go through so much of that!

[boilermakermom]

Call your eye doctor and check to see if you come in and pick out prescription eye glasses of they can write up the ticket sale today.

Does a breast pump qualify? Sell it on Craigslist. Can you buy formula?

[american_mama]

Here's a list of FSA items from the administrator of our account
http://www.chard-snyder.com/eligible-expenses/healthcare-eligible-expenses.html

Also, definitely do reimbursement for mileage for all the appointments you;ve already had: medical, dental, eye, physical therapy, hospitalizations.
That will be money in your pocket rather than money spent on stuff you only kind of care about just so you don't lose it all together. Obviously, a check in pocket is better.

I once thought I had to spend down a similar amount within 3 weeks, and I got $80-100 just from mileage reimbursement,if I remember right. I made a partial list for taxes another year and was at about $40 before quitting. To do it, I made a spreadsheet of dates we'd gone to health care, used google to calculate roundtrip mileage from my home to those places, and then multiplied it by the FSA company's mileage rate. To get all your dates, either call the variouus doctor's offices you;ve been to and ask, or look at your online history from your insurance claims and/or your FSA administraor. Or call the 1-800 number for insurance claims or FSA claims.

Also, are your kids going to need physicals this year for camp, school/preschool, or day care? If so, could you go to a doc-in-the-box place today and pay for it with FSA, then you've saved yourself the copay or whatever from a well child visit at their regular doctor, plus gotten the form done.

[athompson]

We had to do the same one year and ended up purchasing many, many pairs of non-prescription reading glasses and donating them to shelters. They were VERY appreciative.