Leftover FSA money? These are 9 ways you can spend it before it's gone.

If you have any funds remaining in your flexible spending account (FSA), it's time to use them up

medical supplies on blue colored background
You can use the money in your FSA for more than you may have realized
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The year is almost over, which means that if you have any funds remaining in your flexible spending account (FSA), it's time to use them up. While some employers will allow you to roll over your funds to the new year, according to CBS News, "FSA balances typically expire at the end of the calendar year." This means that you have just weeks left to spend any pre-tax dollars you've saved in the account, which are only usable for qualified medical expenses.

Those spending guidelines might sound limiting, but in reality, you can use the money in your FSA for more than you may have realized. If you're stumped on how to spend your remaining FSA balance before you lose it on Dec. 31, here are nine ideas to consider.

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  • Allergy and sinus medication
  • Cough drops and throat lozenges
  • Pain relievers
  • Antacids
  • Sleep aids
  • Menstrual pain relievers
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Becca Stanek, The Week US

Becca Stanek has worked as an editor and writer in the personal finance space since 2017. She previously served as a deputy editor and later a managing editor overseeing investing and savings content at LendingTree and as an editor at the financial startup SmartAsset, where she focused on retirement- and financial-adviser-related content. Before that, Becca was a staff writer at The Week, primarily contributing to Speed Reads.