The cost of prescription drugs can be overwhelming. Sometimes the decisions we’re forced to make between what we need and what we can live without are the toughest we’ll ever be faced with. While there’s no easy solution to the high cost of our much needed medicines, there are some strategies that can save you a significant amount of money. Here are 5 tips for saving on your next prescription.

1. Ask for Generics
   Most consider generic drugs equally as effective, but they’re significantly more affordable. Be sure to ask your pharmacist about a generic drug substitution.
2. Ask Your Doctor’s Help
   Don’t be afraid to tell your doctor you can’t afford the drugs he or she is prescribing. Ask for your doctor’s help. He or she likely has significant knowledge about alternative treatment plans or lower costs drugs.
3. Shop Over the Counter
   
   Before forking over a fortune for a prescription, ask your doctor to recommend an over the counter solution first. You never know, you just might not need that prescription after all.
4. Ask for Samples
   
   Doctors are usually loaded up with free samples from drug companies, and are more than willing to hand them out. Just be careful, as many of the samples given by doctors are the most expensive drugs of all. Don’t become reliant on samples if you can’t afford the prescription itself.
5. Use a Prescription Discount Card
   
   Prescription drug discount cards are a great way to save a significant amount of money on both generic and name brand medications. Prescription drug discount programs work by negotiating discounts with pharmaceutical companies based on volume. These programs are NOT insurance, but they’re perfect for those without insurance, or for seniors who are in the medicare “donut hole.” These discount cards can be quickly printed online, and presented at the pharmacy to receive the discount.

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