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It’s that time of the year where we’re visiting our pharmacist more often. From colds to infections, these medications can add up. Here I present five great tips for savings on your prescriptions.

1. Ask Your Doctor for Samples

Many people feel embarrassed for asking, but there is no shame in my game! Your doctor should know practically everything about you, including if you are stressing about paying for prescriptions they offer you.

Sometimes, they may prescribe just thinking your insurance may cover it (hello, kickbacks do exist). But, if they find out you truly can’t afford it or are stuck in that Medicare Gap (seniors), they can either prescribe the generic formula or find a similar medication that would be covered.

In fact, sometimes your pharmacist may not prescribe the generic formula simply because your doctor did not state on the prescription or generic formula.

Talk to your doctor and ask if they can provide you some samples. For example, my mom is in that Medicare donut hole as of now. She asked her doctor for additional samples to get her through that gap phase. So what happened? Well, she got the samples of course.

2. Check the Pharmaceutical Company’s Website for a Prescription Assistance Program

Pharmaceutical companies, of course, make their money off you purchasing their drugs. However, they also need to give back to society and to help you stay healthy looks good on their profile. The major pharmaceutical players, Abbott, Alcon, AstraZeneca, Merck, and Novartis all offer a prescription assistance program. Fill out the application online or give them a call. You could get 30, 40, or 50% off, and in the right circumstances, these are provided at no cost to you.

3. Participate in Loyalty Programs

Check out your grocery store or convenience store’s loyalty programs. I for one am at Walgreens. Although we do have insurance, we also have signed up for the Walgreens Prescriptions Savings Club. Ted takes Metformin and pays $4 per prescription. This is estimated to be up to $47 at certain pharmacies. Enroll today for only $35 for the entire family!

Also, some pharmacies have a loyalty plan program, of which you can earn cash back or points. Be sure to take advantage of these!

4. Switch Pharmacy’s

If you pay attention to the back of your grocer’s ads, you’ll find that some pharmacies will offer you a discount to switch to their pharmacy. Jewel/Osco, for instance, offers pretty frequently a $25 gift card for new prescriptions and transfers. Don’t sleep on these deals!

5. Use Your Credit Cards!

If you try to stay away from using your credit cards, here is me telling you to use it for prescriptions! If your credit card offers cash back incentives, this is perfect to start saving up towards your prescriptions. Once it builds up value, apply it towards your bill or call customer service and ask them to send a check out to you!

Work on these five savings today. And, for those in Chicago, visit MedAccess Chicago Pharmacy, to find out if they offer a free prescription medication for you. Also, check out About.com as they provide an extensive listing of pharmacy’s you may be eligible to receive free medications for. Find common antibiotics, pre-natal vitamins, and even diabetic medications. If you’re in the Southeastern part of the United States, check out Publix Pharmacy.

Happy Savings!

Do you have any tips to help others save on their prescription or OTC meds?