Beat the Dec. 31 flexible spending account (FSA) deadline: 10 surprising ways to spend funds before time runs out

FSA Store shares 10 quick spending tips and more than 2,500 guaranteed-eligible ways to spend FSA dollars to treat yourself and protect your everyday health

DALLAS, Dec. 18, 2023 Before you start making those New Year's resolutions, be sure to check this important item off your 2023 to-do list: Spend all remaining flexible spending account (FSA) funds before the December 31 use-it-or-lose-it deadline. To simplify this process for the 35 million Americans who are enrolled in these spending accounts, FSA Store® is sharing 10 surprising ways to spend tax-free FSA dollars in the final days of 2023.

"An FSA is a valuable financial and healthcare tool. Unfortunately, the average account holder forfeited more than $300 in unused funds last year, all because they were not aware of the deadline and how they could use those dollars," said Rachel Rouleau, chief compliance officer for Health-E Commerce®, the parent brand to FSA Store. "FSA Store helps to solve this problem with our guaranteed-eligible shopping experience and shopper education. Unlike other online retailers, we also ensure that purchases are deducted from the account holder's 2023 funds by processing transactions at the time of purchase, not at the time of shipping."

FSA Store helps solve forfeitures with our guaranteed-eligible shopping experience and shopper education. Unlike other online retailers, we also ensure that purchases are deducted from the account holder's 2023 funds by processing transactions at the time of purchase, not at the time of shipping.  

According to Rouleau, this is critical for consumers who need to spend funds within the calendar year in order to avoid a forfeiture. For example, if a purchase is made on FSA Store at 11:30 p.m. on December 31, those funds are charged to the FSA debit card at that time, ensuring that they are deducted from the individual's 2023 FSA funds. If that same purchase is made on other online retail sites, the funds are most likely charged to the FSA when the order ships, which in this case, would be 2024.

10 ways to spend FSA funds to beat the FSA deadline:
1. Nonagon Telehealth Device. This convenient FDA-cleared telehealth device pairs with your smartphone, allowing the users to conduct multiple, clinically-accurate physical exams, wherever and whenever.
2. Welly Faves Bundle. Say goodbye to boring bandaids and hello to this collection of colorful Welly bandaids that are FSA Store shopper favorites.
3. reVive Light Therapy Lux Collection dpl lla. Experience medical-grade light therapy and professional skin treatment in the comfort of your own home with the dpl® IIa. Its blue light destroys skin bacteria while powerful infrared lights support skin healing and recovery.
4. Best Seller Steals Bundle. Replenish your medicine cabinet with this collection of FSA Store best sellers and save big.
5. Chirp XR 3-Pack. Meticulously designed to target muscle pain with precision, this Chirp XR bundle offers three ways to help relieve back pain, tension, and soreness; improve flexibility and posture; and aid in muscle recovery.
6. Full Body Analysis Scale – Caring Mill™ by Aura. Track, measure, and monitor key biometrics, including weight, body fat, body water, body age, body mass index (BMI), muscle mass, bone mass, body balance, basal metabolic rate (BMR), visceral fat, and protein with the Fully Body Analysis Scale.
7. Ease Migraine and Eye Reliever with Compression and Heat – Caring Mill™ by Aura. Designed to target pressure points via oscillating pressure, heat up to 107° F, and rhythmic percussion massage, this device alleviates headaches and distress by melting tension and reducing eye strain.
8. Sun Bum Bundle. Protect your skin with this selection of best-selling sunscreens from Sun Bum.
9. Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor & Flex Stand. The most awarded, connected baby monitor and app on the market, the Nanit Pro delivers data to support your baby's health, while the new and improved Floor Stand provides increased stability and durability, in a compact design that works in any sleep space.
10. WUSH™ Powered Ear Cleaner. This easy-to-use ear cleaner uses water and soft silicone tips to remove wax buildup. A massaging triple jet stream of water with three different pressure settings helps flush away wax for a soothing cleanse.

To find the perfect fit for your health needs, use the searchable FSA eligibility list at FSA Store. Consumers can also shop by price range (making it easy to target options that fit their remaining FSA budget), by brand name, and by health condition.

About Health-E Commerce®
Health-E Commerce® is the parent brand to FSA Store®, HSA Store® and WellDeservedHealth™, a family of online stores that serve the 70+ million consumers enrolled in pre-tax health and wellness accounts. The company also created Caring Mill™, a popular private-label line of health products through which a portion of every purchase is donated to the Children's Health Fund. Since 2010, the Health-E Commerce brands have led the direct-to-consumer e-commerce market for exclusively pre-tax health and wellness benefits. Health-E Commerce plays an essential role in expanding product eligibility for important new categories within the list of eligible medical expenses.