# FSA and buying medical supplies



## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Hey, I know lots of people have and use their FSA benefits from work but there's possibly some folks who don't know how it would help them, even in a prep type application.

I shop at drugstore.com but I'll bet there's others that are similar. I like them because they have a huge variety of things they carry that are qualified for FSA dollars; something like 43 pages of 75 items each page!, and they have a bonus bucks program where you earn dollars on what you spend that you can even buy non FSA stuff with!

So for those who dont know, FSA is a Flexible Spending Account. It takes PRE-TAX dollars much like a 401k and puts them into an account for you. You can spend it on child care, eyeglasses, doctor co-pays, and if you shop in the FSA approved section of drugstore.com it's good for everything from bandaids, 4x4 bandages, ace wrap bandages, qwik-clot penetration wound bandages, even the quik-clot trauma pak! You can get glucosomine, suntan lotion, condoms, blood pressure machines, all the way up to motorized mobility scooters, assisted lift recliners, walkers, and the AED I want to buy.

There's a big catch though, if you dont spend the money in your FSA account it's forfeit at the end of the year, so be sure to burn it up as January gets closer. Elective dental work maybe, spare eye glasses or quik-clots and stuff for your BOB!

To give an example, the AED I want to buy will cost me $1200, but from FSA that is pretax, and if I had to spend that in take home pay it would represent about $1800 earned. That's a big deal, I'll take the savings thank you very much!!! 

So just be cautious how much you elect to put in your account when it's time for your open enrollment health care plans at work, I think mine is in Nov, because that total amount is deducted through the year from your weekly paychecks. Ask your HR dept for the specifics. You don't want to put in too much, because you dont want to lose it and there's only so many bandaids and stuff you'll want to buy at the end of the year, but if you have kids and are using it for child care, or glasses and stuff like that... you'll probably wish you could contribute even more!

-Dak


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

You know, thats a great idea! The girl has an FSA, I'll have to find out if thats possible, thanks!
Hmm, she says she stopped using it because she couldnt use up the money. Might be worth it for me to use hers...

Damn good thought! How come noone ever mentioned this before?


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