Prescription medication is expensive, especially if you live in the USA. Luckily, there are plenty of ways that you can save money on your meds, even if it’s just a few bucks. While you do have to be careful, ask your doctor for recommendations, and never take anything without a prescription, you can actually save a lot of money by watching your prescription purchases. Here are a couple of easy tips to help you save money.

Check for Generic Alternatives

Did you know that there are generic alternatives to most name brand medications? While you should ask your doctor and you should make sure that you compare the list of ingredients in advance, you can most likely find a generic option for much cheaper than the original prescription. Generic brands are available in many drugstores and pharmacies but are most common in online pharmacies. Many drugstores also offer generic options to basic medication like Ibuprofen and the theory is the same. The medicine is produced more cheaply and without the well-known name and then sold for a great deal less money. Some generic medicines aren’t quite as powerful as the brand name, but you can readjust the dosing to cover the smaller dose of medicine in each pill. The best thing to do is to directly compare the labels of active ingredients and choose accordingly.

Ask for Medicine With Higher Dosing

Most pharmaceutical companies charge about the same amount per pill no matter how much medicine is in it. For example, 40 mg and 80 mg pills are almost the same price for most types of medication. While this doesn’t apply to every option, you can often ask for medicine with a higher dose of active ingredients and then split the pills. This allows you to pay less money for the same dosing. Once again, you do want to consult with your doctor and check the ingredients before trying the tip. In this case, you would simply cut each pill in half to get the same dosing.

Buy Online

Did you know that shopping online, especially at Canadian pharmacies, is likely to save you anywhere from 20-80%? There are two main problems with buying online: A. Shipping can take a while and B. you do have to shop more carefully in order to avoid fraudulent websites.

To solve the first issue, simply check for expedited shipping options if you need the medicine more quickly. To solve the second issue, ensure that you’re either shopping from a well-known website like NorthWestPharmacy.com or shopping only at websites with VIPPS or Canadian International Pharmacy Association approval. You can also look at online reviews and hype to see which websites are more trustworthy. For example, if you were to look up NorthWestPharmacy.com reviews, you would see that they have a good reputation. Make sure any website you purchase from has a great reputation. Most importantly, if you are shopping for prescription medicine then any genuine website will ask you for your prescription before selling you the medication.

A quick Google search should tell you a lot about an established online pharmacy. If you don’t come up with reviews, forums, and questions, then it may not be a legitimate site. Most importantly, if you come up with bad hype, then you know to avoid it.

Compare Prices As Much As Possible

You’ll also want to take the time to compare prices as much as possible whenever you shop for prescription medicine. You can consider comparing generic medicine or brand names, but in either case, keep in mind that prices are often rolling. What one shop or pharmacy charges may be completely different from what another charges. What you do want to watch out for is prices that are ridiculously low, as this likely indicates that the product is false. If just the one product is on sale or discounted then it is probably fine, but may be nearing its expiration date. Many pharmacies offer competitive pricing, mainly because physical pharmacies often charge as much as 80% more than what the medicine costs them. For that reason, many people do prefer to shop online on Canadian websites, which do not usually have this surcharge.

There are plenty of ways that you can save money on your prescription medicine, just remember to be careful. Always ask your doctor about switching to a new medicine, and always exercise caution when buying online. You can also look into patient assistance programs in your area if you are struggling to afford your current medication. NeedyMeds.org is a great resource for finding assistance, as well as a drug card intended to save members money.

 About the author: 

Jason Simmons is a medical expert who used to work in a pharmacy. Now he spends most of his time online telling people how to avoid being ripped off.

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Amenic181 – FreeDigitalPhotos.Net