Save Up to 93% by Asking for a Generic - Use generics whenever they are available. Both brand name and generic drugs contain the same active ingredients, are the same in strength and dosage and meet the same government quality control standards.

Savings on brand name vs. generic drugs will vary from drug to drug and pharmacy to pharmacy but can be significant. Some remarkable examples:

* Prozac brand 20mg, 100 tablets cost $280.19
Generic sells for $29.99 (Savings 89%)

* Vasotec brand 5mg, 100 tablets costs $103.59
Generic sells for $18.19 (Savings 82%)

Ask Your Doctor is an Older Medication is as Effective - Often, physicians prescribe a newer drug that has been promoted as more effective. However, what this really means is that it is considerably more expensive. For example, newer antibiotics are often no more effective than the older antibiotics. A great generic broad-spectrum antibiotic can cost 80% less than a new antibiotic.

Ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter (OTC, non-prescription) medicine - Sometimes an OTC medication can be as effective as the prescription, and if it is, chances are the OTC medicine will be considerably cheaper. For example, a one-month supply of Pepcid 20mg costs approximately $60. Pepcid AC, over-the-counter in 10mg strength (you would simply take two) costs approximately $23.

Cut Your Costs in Half by Using a Pill Splitter - Most pharmacies stock pill splitters. Sometimes, medications can be broken in half and save you 50%. Why? Several pharmaceutical manufacturers price some of their medications the same for all strengths. For example, Lipitor is almost the same price for all strengths. It