My kids are sick! Terribly sick!
I spent most of this evening rocking my 6 year old as he sobbed due to extreme ear aches. It doesn't help that it is below 0 degrees here and bitter cold. The only other times he has been crying like this for so long was right before his eardrums ruptured.
So, of course, I paged his pediatrician ( he was actually in their office yesterday with a fever, croupy cough, etc ). They sent me out for prescription medicine ear drops and antibiotic.
And, so began my adventure out!
Why are prescriptions a money saving method for me? Because, I am able to save anywhere from $10 to $30 EVERY time I fill a prescription. And, it is all due to keeping coupons on hand.
So, before I begin, I first want to stress this is NOT for anyone who has monthly prescriptions with multiple items you are getting filled. The benefit of having all your medicine from one pharmacy where one pharmacist can make sure everything you are taking is OK to take together is by far the most important thing!
Now that I got that off my chest, let me explain this method a bit more.
First, I try to keep on where all the latest Prescription coupons are. For those who haven't use them before, there are usually two kinds. There are the get Gift Card for NEW or Transferred Prescription or there are the Gift Card for Transferred only coupons.
I try to have a few of each on hand for situations just like today.
I then am able to get my children's prescriptions filled while coming out ahead ( my copay is $5 ) or you can simply chalk it up to a savings if your prescription is valued more than the coupon is worth. Either way, it is money saved for you.
Another way I utilize these coupons is by transferring my prenatal vitamins. Since I take no other medicines, I am able to get my monthly vitamins while also coming out ahead each month.
A few helpful hints?
- Some stores will match competitor coupons, so check with them first.
- If your prescription is usually filled via a 3 month supply, you CAN ask the pharmacist to only provide a 1 month supply and you will simply have to go fill it again in a month.
What coupons just recently came out?
- Last Sunday's paper Target Advertisement had a coupon for $10 for New or Transferred Prescriptions
- Last Sunday's paper Meijer Advertisement had a coupon for New or Transferred Coupons
- Kmart has a $30 prescription New or Transferred Coupon. Click here. Thanks to Money Saving Mom for posting this great coupon!
Want more details on this Method or access to all current coupons I have listed? Click here or go to the Prescription button in my left side bar at anytime.
What is your homework?
Build you stash of Prescription coupons. Print a couple of the Kmart, a few Walgreens and go clip the Target & Meijer ones out. Now you are prepared for the next running nose!
10 comments:
if you qualify for Medco you might be able to save even more on Rx's. I do.
The K-mart coupon that came out in our local paper was good only if you had 2 new of transferred prescriptions; still a good deal but you need to have 2 prescriptions you are filling. Also, our paper advertised that they were doubling coupons up to $2.00 face value again this week.
this does not work in new york....
sorry very sad...
Stop and Shop, Giant and Publix are offering free antibiotics until March.
http://www.swapsavers.com/forum/topics/free-antibiotics-select-at
Also I just wrote an article about how to save money on medical costs!
Just curious.. What's the easiest way to transfer a prescription? Do you need to call the doctor's office and have them resend it to a new pharmacy or can you do it yourself?
No, no. That wouldn't be a transfer, they would count that as a new prescription.
Simply take your bottle with you to the new pharmacy and hand it to them.
They take care of the rest. They call personally and have it transferred over.
We just did this for the first time a few months ago when hubby had a prescription that needed to be filled. That gift card really helped stretch our grocery dollars in a tight month!
If you have a CVS in your area, they will honor the coupons for a new prescription. You don't even have to go to a different pharmacy.
Hi Carrie - so sorry to hear about your son's painful ear aches. I used to suffer terribly with ear aches when I was growing up and I remember my mom heating a damp towel in a colander over boiling water because the hotter it was the better! I was thinking maybe you could do something similar like warming a wash cloth under the warmest running water, ring it out, and hold it to your son's ear. It was the only thing that worked for me to relieve the pain, even making it go away! Also, there is a website that you can go to http://www.internetdrugcoupons.com/
where you can find many drug coupons and/or rebates, etc. from the drug companies. NOTE: Drug coupons or rebates can never be used if you have government sponsored drug insurance such as Medicare, Medicaid, Medi-Cal, etc.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Leesie
I just found another one and put it on my blog - $15 GC for new or transfer @ CVS, good til 2/29/09:
http://shantijoy.wordpress.com/7/
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