Prescriptions can be incredibly expensive, and for many they are no longer covered by our insurance plans.  There are a number of tricks and tips you can use to cut costs and save on prescriptions for everyone in the house (even your pets!).

Even if you have insurance that “covers” prescriptions, you are possibly not getting the best prices.  Never assume the “with insurance” cost is the best option.  The last 3 prescriptions we had filled were all double the price using insurance than they were once we asked the pharmacy to remove the insurance and try other savings methods.

The cost of everything is going up, but you can still save on prescriptions in 2025.

How to Save on Prescriptions in 2025

Be upfront with your doctor

Tell them right off that you don’t have prescription coverage.  Their goal is to get you better, and that means having you take the medication they prescribe.  If something is too expensive, many times there are other options they can pick.   Don’t be afraid to ask for free samples and coupons if they have them.

If you get to the pharmacy and the prescription is super expensive, it never hurts to call the doctor back and ask if there is another medication you could try instead. After hearing the price for my husband’s $171 eye cream, I asked the pharmacist if there were other options that might be cheaper (the pharmacist is your friend).  He shared that had the doctor ordered an ointment instead of the cream it would be $50 rather than $171.  To save $121 I’ll gladly call and ask the doctor if we can switch from a cream to an ointment!

Always call around
Once you have a prescription you should always call around to see who has it cheaper.  You’ll be surprised the price differences and who is cheaper. Typically the smaller pharmacies have the best deals, or head to Costco, Sam’s or Walmart. The worst folks in town are the national pharmacy chains… that $50 ointment at CVS is $9 at Walmart for the same tube. If you want to save the phone calls, use the database at GoodRX to search prices.  While it may be off a little from the actual price, I’ve found it to be pretty reliable.

Head to the warehouse clubs
While they don’t want to you to know this, you do not have to be a member of Sam’s, Costco and other warehouse clubs to be able to use their pharmacies!  Just tell the person at the door that you are headed to the pharmacy and they will let you in.  You’ll get the same prices as members do for all prescriptions! Note: This doesn’t mean they have the best price, but often their 3 month supply prices are very competitive.  You can also get prescriptions mailed to you for free, so you don’t even have to head in.

Price match
Several stores have a price matching policy that helps you to get the lowest price all in one place.  Kroger and Walmart are two of the larger stores that have this policy.  Gather all the prices from when you called around, and then head in to price match.

Transfer your prescriptions
Once you have found the lowest price you can, have the new pharmacy call and transfer your prescription to them. They are glad to do this as they just won your business!  Obviously if you have a paper prescription you can skip this step, but most of us have things called in now or sent over electronically.  CVS won’t know or care that your prescription got moved; if they do they should have thought about their pricing a bit more. If you have trouble pharmacy to pharmacy (you shouldn’t really), just call the doctors office back and ask them to send it somewhere else.  Most of them do this with a click of a button now and it really isn’t a problem.

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