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How to Save Money on Prescription Drugs

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How to Save Money on Prescription Drugs

Prescription medication can be very expensive. Even if you have health insurance, certain drugs can cost a lot of money. And yet, you or a loved one might need those drugs to survive. So, what can you do? Luckily there are many, many ways to save money on prescription drugs. If you’re struggling to pay for your medicine, take a deep breath. There are solutions out there for you.

Save Money on Prescription Drugs with Coupons

First of all, look for coupons to save money on prescription drugs. Chances are that you’ve already heard of GoodRx. Television commercials and pamphlets in doctors’ offices widely promote this app. It is one of the best resources out there to find the deepest discount on drugs at various pharmacies in your area.

Here are some other places where you can find prescription drug coupons:

  • Right here on Saving Advice. We’ve rounded up information on where to get coupons for many of the most common prescription drugs.
  • On the drug manufacturer’s website. Name brand drugs have websites. Those websites often have coupons. Alternatively, they may have a discount program that allows you save money on prescription drugs. Check out what they offer.
  • At the pharmacy. Your pharmacist is often aware of common coupons for medication.
  • From your doctor. First of all, ask if they have free samples. Then, ask if they have coupons. Sometimes they can help.

Work With Your Doctor to Save Money on Prescription Drugs

Your doctor can give you free samples and coupons. However, they can also do so  much more than that to help you save money on prescription drugs. If you’re struggling to pay for your medications, then don’t hesitate to ask them for help. Some of the ways that they can help include:

  • Switching you to a generic brand of the medication.
  • Working with your health insurance to find the cheapest option for the drugs that you need.
  • Trying you on a different medication that is more affordable.
  • Prescribing a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day supply, which is sometimes more affordable per pill.
  • Prescribing a different dosage. For example, they may prescriber a larger dose that you cut in half. This can save money.
  • Giving you tips for adjusting your lifestyle so that over time you may need less, or none, of the medication.

Other People Who Can Help You Save Money on Prescription Drugs

Your doctor is the perfect person to start with when you’re seeking this kind of help. And, as aforementioned, your pharmacist is a terrific resource as well. But these aren’t the only people who can help.

Contact your health insurance provider. Ask to speak to someone who is able to assist you in reducing medication costs. They know how their insurance works from the inside out. Therefore, they can guide you in the right direction. Sometimes it’s as simple as using their mail-order service to get your drugs instead of going to the local pharmacy.

Of course, do remember that getting the right insurance for your needs can play a huge role in helping you save money on prescription drugs. Therefore, you might want to switch plans or even providers. But first, see if the company you already use can help you.

You might also try calling the drug manufacturer. They typically have a phone or chat service to assist customers. If they offer any discount programs, coupons, or samples, then they’ll let you know. Of course, you can usually find the information directly on their website. But it never hurts to ask if you don’t see it there.

Finally, consider finding an advocate. Sometimes it’s just really hard to figure all of this stuff out on your own. A medical advocate can make the calls, do the research, and lobby on your behalf. If you are involved with a “system” (DHS, for example, or you live in a nursing home) then your case manager or another professional there might be a good advocate. Let people know that you need help.

Other Tips to Save Money on Prescription Drugs

Use coupons. Get samples. Talk to your doctor. Work with other professionals. What else? Here are some additional tips to help you save money on your meds:

  • Shop around for the best price on medication. GoodRx can help you find the best deals near you. Moreover, consider using different pharmacies for different prescriptions so that you get the lowest price on each and every one.
  • Ask about the price of the medication with and without insurance. Even if you have insurance, sometimes the medication costs less without using it.
  • Learn about Patient Assistance Programs. There are the programs that drug companies offer to help customers. Sometimes you can even get free medication through these programs.
  • Learn about state assistance programs. You might be able to save money using a program such as Medicare Extra Help, for example.
  • Review options for buying medication online. This can sometimes save you a lot of money. However, make sure that you’re using a reputable company. Do your research.
  • Ask for prescriptions for OTC drugs. Do you take over-the-counter medication in addition to prescription meds? For example, do you take an allergy medication? If so, and if your health insurance covers the cost, then you might be able to get the medication for cheap or even for free. Saving money on those drugs helps save on your overall medication costs.

Don’t Stop Taking Your Meds

Sometimes it takes a little while before you find the right way to save money on prescription drugs. Don’t stop taking the medications that you need in the meantime. Sadly, many people do just that. Alternatively, they reduce the amounts they take. However, you got those meds for a reason. If you need them, take them.

Budget your money, making the medications a priority. Cut out all unnecessary expenses and put that money towards your medication costs. Earn side income if you can. Try a GoFundMe fundraiser to see if family and friends can help you pay these important bills. Take care of yourself.

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If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. If you want to be able to customize your blog on your own domain and need hosting service, we recommend trying BlueHost. They offer powerful hosting services for $3.95/month!

5 Reasons Why Decluttering Saves You Money

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Why Decluttering Saves Money

Decluttering is very on trend. So is its cousin, organization. From Marie Kondo to The Home Edit, people are obsessed with shows that reflect the extremes of these trends. But perhaps those extremes turn you off. It feels too hard to do it right, so you don’t decluttering at all. Well, here’s some incentive: money. Here are five key reasons why decluttering saves money:

1. You Might Need Less Space

The more things that you get rid of, the less space that you need to store them. If you pay for off-site storage, then perhaps you can eliminate that cost. Or, clearing space in your home, you might be able to rent out a room or a parking spot. The less space you need for your things, the more money you save.

2. You Won’t Buy Things You Don’t Need

There are three ways why decluttering saves you money in this category:

  • You won’t buy duplicates of things. You’ll know what you have and know where to find it.
  • As you declutter, you’ll begin to appreciate the stuff that you do have. You won’t feel the impulse to go out and buy more.
  • You can declutter (or re-gift) some of your things to others. Therefore, you can save money on gifts for people this year.

3. You Might Find Money

Some people actually find cash or checks when they declutter. Even if you don’t find any of the proverbial change in the couch cushions, you might find opportunities to make money. There are probably a lot of items in your home that you can sell. Declutter them and put that money into savings.

Also, remember that you can get a tax write-off when you donate items to charity. That’s another reason why decluttering saves money.

4. It Improves The Quality of Your Home

Decluttering makes your home healthier. The less stuff that you have, the less dust that you have. You’re less likely to have mold and other toxins in the home as well. It’s easier to keep the home clean when there isn’t so much clutter taking up the space. The cleaner the house, the healthier its inhabitants. The healthier you are, the less you spend on medical costs. That’s why decluttering saves money: by promoting cleanliness and health.

Moreover, the home itself is also healthier. If you have too much stuff in a home, the foundation can literally sag under the weight of it. Even in less extreme conditions, your heating and cooling systems might be working harder than they have to if they air flow has to navigate around a bunch of stuff. By opening up the space, you free the house to breathe. This helps you maintain the value of your home. This keeps maintenance fees down and improves home value for a future sale.

5. Decluttering is a Mentality

When you focus on decluttering the home, you do more than just clean the space. You alter your mind. You begin to think differently.

After eliminating and organizing physical clutter, you may feel encouraged to start thinking about financial clutter. As a result, you might cancel unnecessary subscriptions, reduce your spending budget, or eliminate some of your debt. You might organize your bills so that you get better at on-time payments and thus don’t incur late fees.

You’ll be surprised at how much decluttering spills over into the rest of your life. Perhaps you might begin to uncluttered some bad eating habits, leading to better nutrition, improved health, and lower lifetime health care costs. Maybe you will reduce the noise in your life and stop spending money on entertainment because you are content with quite spaciousness.

What are some of the reasons why decluttering saves money for you?

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If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. If you want to be able to customize your blog on your own domain and need hosting service, we recommend trying BlueHost. They offer powerful hosting services for $3.95/month!

Here is How Much a Coronavirus Vaccine Will Cost You

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coronavirus vaccine

Several months into the global pandemic, there are five coronavirus vaccine options in late-stage testing. For Americans, this means we can expect access to a COVID-19 shot in the first half of next year. If you have seen some of the hospital bills associated with coronavirus, you may be concerned about the potential cost of a COVID shot.

The Cost of a Flu Shot

It is easy to think about the high cost of developing a vaccine. Oftentimes, millions, even billions, of dollars are spent to develop something effective. When it comes to developing a vaccine for COVID-19, however, it is fairly similar to creating a flu shot.

People who get a flu shot every year know that the price of that vaccine typically lands around $40. Other vaccines, like the shot for shingles, can cost up to $300 for a series of two shots. So, how much will a coronavirus vaccine cost?

How Much a Coronavirus Vaccine Will Cost


You’re probably thinking the cost will land somewhere between $40 and $300. Believe it or not, the coronavirus vaccine will cost you $0 out of pocket (on the spot anyway). The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to make the vaccine readily available and free to all American citizens. The price will be $0 regardless of your age, income, or health insurance.

Patients seeking the vaccine will likely need to prepare for the fees associated with administering the shot. Your healthcare provider can provide information about the cost of in-office services. Typically, your insurance company will pay these fees.

In the end, though, someone has to foot the bill for developing and distributing the coronavirus vaccine to millions of people. Of course, it will fall on the taxpayer. Anyone paying federal taxes will inadvertently also pay for the COVID-19 vaccine.

How Much Will Your Taxes Increase?

The HHS plans to purchase 100 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine at $19.50 per dose ($1.95 billion). If it was just this amount spread out across taxpayers in the U.S., your tax bill would only go up about $16 per year. But when all is said and done, you’ll pay more than that.

Health and Human Services has already announced that it would provide hundreds of billions in funding to various companies to help support the development of a vaccine. Government agencies are also working on closing deals valued in the billions for other potential vaccine solutions.

According to The Motley Fool, the overall cost to the taxpayer for a coronavirus vaccine will end up coming in around $51. So much for a no-cost vaccine.

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Why It’s Getting Harder for Older People to Get Life Insurance?

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life insurance for older people

The coronavirus pandemic has made waves in pretty much every industry. Life insurance, being an industry that thrives on interest built on their cash reserves, is no exception. Not only that, but there are obvious health risks that make it harder to get life insurance right now.

For older people, life insurance being hard to get is nothing new, but it is somehow getting even more difficult. There are many different factors that go into life insurance eligibility; to make sure you are properly educated to prepare for your future, let’s discuss life insurance for older people. Namely, why is it becoming even harder to get?

Health Risks

With the presence of a global pandemic, the risk for life insurance companies has shot up across the board. Compound this with COVID’s tendency to be extremely aggressive for older folks, and you have a big problem for the elderly. This makes it far more likely, as long as the pandemic persists, that life insurers will be paying out to the families of older policyholders.

Just like any other form of insurance, an increase in risk typically comes with an increase in price. As a result, it is more difficult to afford. Insurance companies also tend to be stricter when it comes to eligibility, and life insurers are notoriously thorough.

Interest Rates

With the current state of interest rates, and the federal reserve constantly shrinking them, income for life insurers is dwindling. One of the major income sources for these companies is the interest they are able to make on the money they hold. When you shrink a major income source, risk inherently grows. Their ability to recover from losses, as well as their ability to absorb them in the first place, are put in jeopardy.

This means that they will have to become stricter in order to stay afloat. Raised prices aren’t a surprise either, as they need to compensate for lost income in order to cover their current liabilities. Insurance companies are intricate beasts, and money can be lost at every turn. So, it makes sense that they are having to compensate heavily, at least for the time being.

Uncertainty

The biggest issue for insurance companies is not knowing what to expect. While risk is inherent, they are constantly looking for ways to minimize it. So, the issues aren’t just the massive global pandemic and the extremely low-interest rates; the issue lies in the fact that we don’t know when either will end. These companies have to be aggressive out of the gate because they don’t want to be left bankrupt because they were optimistic. These issues are temporary, but how temporary?

There are executives paid big money to figure that out, and you bet your bottom dollar that they are going to overcompensate. After all, when the company goes away, so do those big bucks. Being one of the guys in charge when something like that happens doesn’t bode well for future jobs, either — this is especially true in this job market.

If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. If you want to be able to customize your blog on your own domain and need hosting service, we recommend trying BlueHost. They offer powerful hosting services for $3.95/month!

Uber’s Face Mask Requirement Begins Today

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Uber's Face Mask Requirement

Starting Monday, May 18, Uber is requiring all Uber drivers, delivery personnel, and riders to wear face masks. In addition to Uber’s face mask requirement, the company has also announced it will be rolling out a new user interface to ensure riders can stay healthy and safe while using the service.

What is Uber’s Face Mask Requirement?


The new requirements for drivers and riders isn’t the only change. There are several things that will be different the next time you go to call for a ride or delivery.

“It’s important to us that you know what to expect when you take that ‘second first trip,'” Uber officials stated. “Over the last two months, our tech and safety teams have been hard at work building a new product experience that will help protect everyone, every time they use Uber.” Here are the major changes…

  1. You’ll need to stop and take a selfie before your ride request will be accepted. That’s right! You have to prove you’re wearing a face mask before your Uber driver will come to pick you up.
  2. Any driver not wearing a face mask is not permitted to pick up riders after May 18.
  3. Uber will ask you questions about your handwashing habits within the app.
  4. Riders will be asked to agree to sit in the back seat and open windows for ventilation.
  5. The suggested number of riders per car has been reduced to three from four.

Drivers have been mailed supplies, such as face masks, sanitizers, gloves, and other essential items directly to prepare for this change. Both riders and drivers are being encouraged to cancel trips if they feel their safety is at risk (i.e. a driver or rider refuses to follow protocol).

Uber says these changes will remain in effect through the end of June and possibly longer, depending on CDC recommendations.

In The COVID-19 Era, Plan Ahead

When it comes down to it, COVID-19 has provided an opportunity for many people to learn a valuable lesson in planning ahead. Most of us found ourselves ill-prepared for a global pandemic like this. That’s not surprising, considering the last time something like this happened. However, that means that each and every one of us can take notes from what we’ve experienced during this time so that we are financially and socially prepared.

Additionally, if you rely on services like Uber, it is important to have a plan in place for times like these. Not as many drivers are available and Uber may put even more drivers out of the game this week. Plan ahead and be sure you know what to do if you can’t lean on your normal day-to-day routine.

Readers, what do you think about Uber’s face mask requirement? 

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Working From Home Is Here to Stay (Even After COVID)

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working from home

There have been millions of people put out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re not laid off, you’re probably working from home. While many remote workers are just happy to be able to continue their jobs, many of them are still looking forward to eventually returning to the office. However, that may never happen.

The Future of the Workplace

The global coronavirus pandemic will undoubtedly have a profound impact on multiple facets of life, including the workplace. And business certainly hasn’t been as productive since all of this started. According to CNN, 71% of employers are struggling to adjust to remote workplaces. Sixty-five percent of employers said maintaining employee morale during this time has been a difficulty as well.

So, how will all of this change the future of the office?

Well, unsurprisingly, many more people will be working from home. Around 64% of Americans are already working from home in some capacity as it is, but you will begin to see more businesses allowing employees to work from home more often. Once leases are up, some companies may choose to eliminate their office spaces altogether.

Those looking to maintain a physical workspace will likely have to make huge changes to the traditional office to keep a physical distance between coworkers. Many offices will get rid of shared workspace and return to closed-off offices and cubicles.  As quickly as the coworking space was born, it may be stripped away.

Tips for Working From Home

A key component to being a productive remote worker is being able to adapt to changes as they come. In the current environment, it is safe to say most people are able to adapt to change on some level. But, many employees and employers are having a difficult time adapting to this change. Once you start working from home full-time, you should employ some of these tips to help your workload stay on track.

  • Set a schedule for yourself. Having a set schedule will help you maintain productivity. Get up at the same time, get dressed, have breakfast. This will motivate you throughout the week.
  • Make sure you check-in. A daily check-in with a coworker is always a good idea, especially if you’re missing the camaraderie of the office. Set up a quick Google Chat or Skype check-in to see how things are going.
  • Use virtual tools. There is an endless number of tools to help remote workers. Do some research and see what will integrate well with your devices. Google Suite can do wonders with helping you stay organized.
  • Designate a workspace at home. Don’t just crawl out of bed and mosey to the couch. Consider setting yourself up in an office at home. If you don’t have office space, be sure you set up a space that feels like a workspace before getting started.
  • Turn off the distractions. Namely, your smartphone. When you were in an office, you could be seen messing around on your phone (or otherwise). While you’re at home, do everything you can to eliminate these distractions by turning on do not disturb or other notification silencers.

And if you need a few more, check this out…

One thing is for certain. All of this will pass with time. The job market in the United States is no stranger to crisis. Roll with the punches and keep pushing forward.

Readers, how are you handling working from home?

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