Thrifty Thursday: Four ways to save on prescriptions

If you have prescriptions that you have to fill regularly, the cost can add up quickly! Here are a few tips for saving on prescription medications.

Ask if there is a generic alternative ~ Talk with your doctor and find out if there is a generic alternative for the prescription medications that you are taking.  Many retailers are now offering a 30 day supply of a number of generic medications for just $4 or a 90 day supply for as low as $9.99

-CVS generic prescription drug list ($9.99 for a 90 day supply)
KMart generic prescription drug list (30 day supply starting at just $5)
-Kroger generic prescription drug list (30 day supply for $4, 90 day supply for $10)
Rite Aid participating generic prescription drug list ($8.99 for a 30 day supply, $15.99 for a 90 day supply)
Target generic prescription drug list ($4 for a 30 day supply, $10 for a 90 day supply)
Walgreens generic prescription drug list ($9.99 for a 30 day supply, $12 for a 90 day supply)
Walmart generic prescription drug list ($4 for a 30 day supply, $10 for a 90 day supply)

Even if you don’t have a generic prescription, it doesn’t hurt to call different pharmacies to price it out!

Don’t be afraid to ask for samples ~ Many physicians receive free samples of prescription medications from pharmaceutical reps.  Don’t be afraid to ask them for free samples or coupons!  If you can’t afford your prescriptions, ask your physician about prescription assistance programs that may be available.

Find out if your insurance includes a mail order option ~ Many insurance companies offer a mail order option where the cost of your prescription will be discounted significantly if you order by mail and get a 90 day supply.

Transfer your prescriptions for added benefits ~ Many national chain stores, grocery stores, and drug stores want to compete for your business when it comes to prescriptions that you fill regularly!  They frequently offer coupons where you can get a gift card with any new or transferred prescription (ranging from $10 to $30 typically). Target typically offers these coupons in their ads once a month.  Lately, Kroger has been offering them in their weekly ad.  CVS and Walgreens will typically accept these competitor coupons, too!  You can transfer your prescriptions each month and make a little extra money along the way!

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Thrifty Thursday: Saving on vitamins!

In another lifetime, I used to buy those big huge bottles of vitamins at Costco and Sam’s Club.  I would anywhere from $10-14 and think I was getting a really good deal and that I was saving a lot of money.  That was before I discovered coupons of course!

It actually took me awhile to figure out that you can get vitamins MUCH cheaper by taking advantage of drug store deals.  If you check out your weekly ads, you will see that they typically have at least one brand priced at “Buy One, Get One Free.”  To sweeten this deal, there are money saving coupons to use, too and since most coupons will let you use TWO coupons (one for each item) on a buy one, get one free deal, you end up saving lots of money!

Let’s say that your drug store has Nature’s Bounty vitamins on sale BOGO free and you have two $1/1 coupons.   If the Vitamin C is priced at $2.99, here’s the breakdown of what this deal would look like:

Buy 2 Vitamin C – $2.99/each

Use 2 $1/1 printable coupons
-$2.99 (store promotion – BOGO free)

Spend $.99 out of pocket for two bottles of Vitamin C!

That’s a much better deal than any deal I ever got at Sam’s Club or Costco!

Here are some tips for saving money on vitamins:

1.  Register for money saving coupons from the following companies:

Nature’s Bounty

Nature Made

Sundown

2.  Watch your drug store ads for Buy One, Get One free offers (sometimes grocery stores offer these promotions, too!)  Pair your coupons with these promotions for extra savings.

TIP: When taking advantage of a buy one, get one free promotion, make sure that you are buying items that are equal or comparable in price.  Typically, the lowest-priced item will come off as the “free” item and if you are buying two items that have a big variance in price, you won’t be saving as much.

For example:  If you are buying Niacin, which is priced at $9.99ish usually and then Vitamin C, which is priced at $2.99ish, the breakdown would look like this:

Buy Niacin – $9.99
Buy Vitamin C – $2.99

-$2 (two $1/1 coupons)
-$2.99 (store BOGO free promotion)

Spend $7.99 OOP

You would save more if you bought two bottles of Niacin!

Also, if you are buying more than just two bottles of vitamins and the vitamins have varying prices, make sure you break them up into separate transactions and buy bottles that are equal or comparable in price together!

I stockpile vitamins just like I stockpile other items.  Just make sure that you check the expiration dates when you purchase them and that you store them in a “safe” location!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information