4 Mistakes People Make When Buying Medication

There are certain expenses in life that can be unavoidable. And for many people, medication is one of them.

Unfortunately, even if you have good health insurance, you could end up spending a lot of money on the prescriptions you need. And if you're someone who needs over-the-counter medications regularly, such as those for seasonal allergies, you might end up with quite the large credit card tab.

That said, some missteps on your part could make it so you're spending more on medication than necessary. Here are some mistakes it's best to avoid.

1. Not getting prescriptions in bulk supplies

Did you know that in some cases, a 90-day supply of pills could be less expensive than a 30-day supply? It may seem ridiculous, but it's true. Or you might pay a very similar price for a 30-day supply as for a 90-day supply.

You can get a discount on your medication by purchasing it in bulk, so if there's a pill you take daily, ask your provider to adjust your prescription so you're able to get more than a month's supply at a time. And you may find that your cheapest option is to fill your pills through a mail-order pharmacy, where you don't even have to fork over the money for gas to get to the store to pick them.

2. Not switching to generics

Many pills on the market today are available in generic form. If a prescription you take has a generic version, ask for it. It might cost 80% to 85% less than what you're paying today, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Along these lines, it often pays to see if there's a generic or store-brand version of the non-prescription pills you take. At Stop & Shop, an East Coast supermarket, Advil costs $0.12 per tablet. If you buy the store-brand ibuprofen, which is the same main ingredient as Advil, you can pay just $0.06 per pill.

3. Assuming you need to be on medication

There may be a certain pill you've been taking for as long as you can remember. But are you absolutely sure you need to still be on it?

If you haven't done a check-in with your doctor to get a physical and blood work for quite some time, do it now. Many insurance plans offer an annual exam like this for free. You may find that due to changes in your health, you no longer need to take certain drugs.

4. Not checking expiration dates on over-the-counter pills

Many people take over-the-counter drugs for stretches at a time. If you're an allergy sufferer, for example, there may be over-the-counter pills, eye drops, and nasal sprays you use daily from April through June to get through the spring.

One trap you don't want to fall into, though, is buying medication that's about to expire. If you do, you won't get your money's worth.

Similarly, let's say you want to buy a 100-count bottle of Advil to have on hand for when aches and pains arise. If it's February 2024, you don't want to bring home a bottle expiring in June of 2024. That's not necessarily a lot of time to use up your supply for a pill you hopefully won't be taking daily.

It's hard to avoid spending money on medication to some degree. But with the right approach, you may find that you're able to start spending less on the medications you need.