Buying prescription drugs, especially in today’s economy, can be a real hardship. Many people, in fact, are faced with the choice of paying their bills or buying their medication, and when it comes to a choice like that, nearly everyone chooses to stop taking their prescription drug. This, of course, can have a number of repercussions. To help people keep both their homes and their medication, here are some ways to save money on prescription drugs.

- Ask about a generic version. Many prescription brand name drugs are also available in a generic version, and these generic versions may be much, much less. If your doctor wants to prescribe medication to you, ask him or her if there’s a generic version you can take instead of assuming you have no choice.

- Alternatively, ask your pharmacist about a generic version or a cheaper drug when you take your prescription to the pharmacy. You may be able to get a generic version from your pharmacist.

- Simply let your doctor know that you cannot afford the prescription. Many people feel embarrassed to admit that they can’t afford their medication, but doctors understand this. If you discuss the cost of the medication with your doctor, he or she may be able to prescribe another drug that will work just as well but cost much less.

- Use an online pharmacy. Typically, even though you have to pay for shipping, online or mail order pharmacies are cheaper than conventional pharmacies. Just remember that you will have to wait a week or so for your medication.

- Ask for free samples, but be wary. While free samples can be a great thing, often the samples are for the most expensive drugs out there. This means that once you run out of samples, you’ll have to pay a lot to continue using the same medication.

- Likewise, don’t always insist on having medication you’ve seen on TV or read about in magazines. Commercials and magazine ads are often, like samples, for the most expensive drugs out there. These expensive brand names may not work any better than the cheaper, generic versions, but they will almost always cost much more.

- Look into a prescription assistance program. There are several different programs available for people who can’t afford their medication. Look into them.

- Shop around. You may be surprised at the difference in price for the same drug at different pharmacies. Just like any major purchase, feel free to call different pharmacies and ask for their price for your medication.

- Ask your doctor if you need to continue taking some medication. This is especially true if you’ve been to several doctors who have all prescribed you medication. Chances are these doctors haven’t communicated with each other about the prescriptions, so you may be taking medication you don’t need.

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