What to buy before your FSA expires

December appointment calendars fill weeks out, so these come first even though the money clears last:

An eye exam plus an updated prescription unlocks the best big-ticket buys below. A dental visit — the cleaning is usually insurance's job, but the crown, filling, or night guard you've been deferring is FSA territory. Standing issues like back pain become chiropractic, physical therapy, or acupuncture sessions booked before year-end. Vaccines at a pharmacy clinic count too — no appointment shortage there.

Prescription glasses are the king of the category — a backup pair counts, prescription sunglasses count, and $150–$500 vanishes cleanly. A year's supply of contact lenses in one order does the same. Hearing aids (including OTC models) run $200–$2,000+. CPAP replacement supplies for the year, a good wearable breast pump, or a smart blood-pressure monitor all soak up real money on things with multi-year lifespans. If you've been considering LASIK, December consults often come with FSA-timed payment scheduling.

For the last $50–$150, restock the medicine cabinet: pain relievers, allergy meds, cold & flu, first-aid kits for the house and car, sunscreen for next summer (SPF 15+), COVID tests, a decent thermometer, menstrual products (reusables like cups and period underwear front-load nicely), and compression socks if long flights or pregnancy are in your future.

The deadline-week mistakes are always the same. Vitamins, massage, and gym memberships need a letter of medical necessity before you spend — a December 30 purchase with no letter is a denied claim, not a loophole. Fitness trackers, toothpaste, skincare, and CBD don't qualify at all. And insurance premiums never qualify, even though the care underneath them does.

When in doubt, thirty seconds in the eligibility checker beats a reversed claim in February.

Two doors may still be open: a grace period (some plans allow new spending through March 15) and the run-out period (typically ~90 days to file claims for expenses you already incurred last year — dig out those out-of-pocket receipts). The full rules are in the deadline guide.