I've talked (some would say "ad nauseum") about all the benefits I've seen buying my eyeglasses online over the past 16 months. There are many, but one of the most unanticipated came to me the other night while placing a non-eyeglasses order online.

I used to be one of the most impatient people you could hope to meet. I ordered things online because of the price only, but it killed a bit each time I needed to wait even a day for that shiny new bauble -- especially if I could get it at Target or the hated Best Buy down the street.

Now after over a year of having to wait at least a few days for my new glasses to arrive, rather than spend a $350 "convenience charge" at the "About an hour" mall store, I've grown a bit. I don't use the expedited shipping as often for anything I order, from glasses, to rice crackers (you should try these with cottage cheese).

All that said, I've never waited longer than two weeks or so for my glasses and I'm still excited, a bit like a kid waiting for a cereal box decoder ring to arrive in the mail.