They're so sky high, I need glasses to see them!

For a while now I've been hearing a variety of adverts on television and radio, advertising the tremendous costs of glasses these days and how this one particular shop doesn't take this piss with it's price.
I never understood the meaning behind that until recently. I always thought it was just a sales ploy; 'looky looky! They're more expensive then us! We give you a better deal...' etc

Until I went to buy a pair or two from my local opticians, who I last visited in 2005 and really liked because they actually managed to work my eyes out correctly, give me a terrific prescription AND a pair of glasses which have lasted until today.

The eye test was fine. I was impressed by the questions she asked and the system she used to test me (though I did go round and round in circles as my eyes would NOT behave and did what they wanted, not what I needed). I mentioned the possibility of getting two glasses (one for driving - transitions- and another for leaving at work) then the pair I have now could be used as spare.
And as much as I love these glasses, I fancy a change after 2, almost three years with the same style.
SO
I'm introduced to this guy who's going to help me, he shows me a couple, and slips in the idea of two for one (this is where things started to go a little funny as Tom noticed that the sales clerk said the sales was going to be going on for a few months and yet MAY end tomorrow....hmmmm). So we left the shop, had a think, and came back, me feeling rather excited at the prospect of getting new glasses, one which I could use whilst driving against the sun. At last!
After a few minutes, I selected the ones I definitly wanted, then sat down with another sales clerk, who began discussing prices with me. I'd like to point out that before we started talking, she went into a room on the side, and left me thinking. I was feeling great about the whole situation, then I was hit with a sense of unease. This kind of thing never goes that smoothly...but I put it down to pessimism on my part. Yes.....well.

I think this was the first time in my life I felt my wallet physically cry out in pain.
I was offered two glasses with the lenses and had it pointed out that it wasn't the glasses that were involved in the two for one scheme, it was the lenses, so I still had to pay the full price for each set of glasses, not what I was led to believe (well, THAT'S convenient, I thought to myself). She then goes on about the transition lenses and offers me a solution which I thought was somewhat pointless as rather than spend an extra few quid on this solution, I could just....wipe my glasses. I've never needed it before, I wouldn't need it now.

After adding everything together (the glasses, the lenses, the transition, the pointless solution etc), the total came to.......£600

I sat there for a few minutes absorbing this news. I then looked at her and said 'that's a little out of my price range (using a tone of voice which suggested my price range was miles away from this total)...I can't really look to pay that amount of money, so I may have to drop some of the offers'.
I also throw in that I've JUST paid my rent (hint hint saleswoman) so she takes it down to £333 (I'd like to add, she seems deteremined to keep the pointless solution and at least a tint on the glasses on the price).
How much exactly does this woman think I can afford for glasses after I've just paid my rent exactly? And still have spending money left over.
I tell her that it's still too much, so I'll just take one set of glasses and be done with it. No solution, no tinting...nothing. (Especially no to tinting, as that's somewhat pointless to what I was looking for)
She spends the next few minutes, I'm thinking, trying to confuse me, using words such as 'we'll throw in...' and 'you can have this free...' or 'you can pay a installment of cash over...'
I noticed she kept mentioning the solution and the tinting throughout. I watched her as she swallowed more and more frequently through the exchange, realising she was loosing the sale (which she lost on trying to pull money out of my the first moment)

No.
This is when I realise she's extremely keen for a sale, so will do anything to keep me in that chair and sign a form saying 'yes I will give you half my savings'
Tom was behind me at this time and I could feel his cynicism creeping forward.
In the end, I told her, I'm sorry but NO. I can't afford this. I'm going to have a 'think'. Bye bye.
So I paid the rest of the money for the eye test, then ran, discussing with Tom about approaching another opticians for my glasses.

If there's one thing I loathe it's being treated like a sucker and having people try and confuse money out of me. If I'm going to have someone suck the cash out of my wallet, I'd rather it be for something useful! Glasses, I've already got one at least.
I've had cases where the salesperson, notices my immenent departure and...lets...me..go. This, I promise, will get me back.
What makes me walk right out the door, not to return, is persists of 'I HAVE to keep this sale!'

Let that be a lesson to all sales people out there.