Do you take prescription medication? If so, you know how costly they can be.

More than 4 billion prescriptions are filled per year. Even for people fortunate enough to have health insurance, visits to the doctor and filling prescriptions can add up. There's got to be an easier way to deal with steep prescription prices. Right?

Right. I don't know about you, but on my daily internet travels, I'm inundated with ads for discount Canadian meds and online pharmacies. Forget the fact that I personally have no need for a "90 day supply of Cialis without a prescription!", the rising costs of medication is making me rethink my decision to avoid the black market as a viable career choice.

Generics have long been touted as a low-cost alternative for pricy brand-name drugs. When government regulations mandate that these generics contain the same active ingredient, what's the justification for spending more on a name brand? The binding agents or inactive ingredients vary widely, meaning that some people will react differently to generic versus brand name drugs (especially when making the switch from a brand name to generic drug). Many healthcare companies will also generic medications when it is available.

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St. Patrick's Day is Saturday and even though I didn't find any free green beer, I think you'll like the freebies today. We can start with the St. Patrick's Day parades,

The problem is knowing where they are and when they will start. StPatrick'sDay.com  is a great source, all you have to do is click on your state to find a parade near you.

The Safe and Sober Ride Program is offering free cab rides home after you finish celebrating. This offer is in select cities and is good for about a $30.00 cab fare. So far, Washington DC, San Francisco, Colorado Springs and surrounding areas have the offer. There are specific phone numbers you have to call for the free ride. Make sure you have the phone number for your area before going out to keep your ride home free. You can check for your city by Googling Safe and Sober Ride Program with your city in the search Read More …

Owning a pet brings joy to many people's lives but there are also the financial obligations to consider. A majority of a pet's basic needs fall under the major categories of food and health care. Veterinarian visits for vaccinations, medications, and emergency care can add up to a lot of money over the course of an animal's lifetime. If you are thinking about getting a pet, but worried about the expense, you should know that are many effective ways of keeping pet care costs low.  

Experts advise pet owners to have their dogs and cats vaccinated once a year against rabies and distemper. Pet owners should keep an eye our for local vaccine clinics where animal protection agencies offer rabies shots for a big discount and sometimes even for free.

People who are not interested in breeding a pet should have the animal spayed or neutered. Check with your local animal shelter for low cost spaying and neutering clinics. Some areas offer this service for free, because local agencies are concerned about the high population of abandoned pets. Read More …

Are you noticing a recent theme with our giveaways? From photo printers to summer swimwear, we're all about fashion and photography lately. Last week, we had three $50 gift cards to Canvas On Demand to giveaway for a few lucky winners. Without further ado, it's time to announce the winners.

Congratulations to the following winners...

-Savings.com member eclipes, who said... "I would make a canvas out of my Mom and Dad's Wedding Day photo as it is getting old and starting to fade. I lost my Mom 10 years ago and that would be a great way to remember her".

-Facebook member Nikki Lakes, who said "My favorite place for a vacation would have to be tak[ing] my little girl to Disney World."

-Facebook member Julie Owen Remington, who said "A picture of my triplets, of course!"

I've sent you each an email with instructions on how to claim your prize. If for some reason it doesn't reach you, send me an email at social@savings.com before the end of the day on Tuesday, March 20^th, or another winner will be chosen. Read More …

So you're Irish. Or at least, you pretend you are because on St. Patrick's Day, EVERYONE is Irish for a day. Right? Right. You want to party it up – who doesn't? It's a day for everyone to drink green beers, dress up like a Leprechaun and kiss all the Irish people you know (and some you don't!). But you want to do something special this year. You want to do St. Patty's Day on the cheap. Is it even possible? How can YOU have the luck of the Irish without breaking your bank? Listen closely and find out.

First and foremost, the most important thing to do on St. Patrick's Day is to AVOID ALL BARS. I know that sounds all Debbie Downer, but I promise you, between the ridiculous cover charges and obnoxious Irish (or decidedly UN-Irish folk) you won't have a good time. If you do insist upon going out, find yourself a nice relaxed dive bar, away from ridiculous cover-charges, rowdy frat boys and dyed green beer.

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So you've finally taken charge of your spending. Good for you! Next step: Don't self-sabotage by thinking, "If only I'd done this sooner." Plenty of people think that. They can't believe they used to spend $300 a month just on lunches out, let alone multiple thousands per year on clothes, happy hours, or concert tickets.

They wish they'd been more careful.They wish they'd deferred gratification. They wish they'd held on to even a fraction of the funds they frittered. News flash: You will never see that money again. You can't change the past.However, you can change the present – and in doing so change the future. You can change the way you handle money now. It doesn't matter when you start.It matters that you start. Read More …

I'm half proud and half embarrassed to tell you that I started couponing in earnest just last week. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what was stopping me from couponing before now, but I'd say it was something along the lines of paralyzing fear. Despite the fact that I work for a coupon website, I still found the idea of couponing daunting - there were so many steps to think about. Eventually, I realized that what I really needed was a place to start. Thanks to learning some tips from the DealPros and discovering the Target coupon page, I decided I was ready - at least, to start small. Read More …

So you've finally decided to cut bait on your old laptop. You're tired of waiting 10 minutes for Windows to boot, tired of programs that take forever to load, and tired of viruses and spyware gumming up the works.

In other words, it's time for a new machine. And for around $500 (less if you're willing to buy a refurbished or closeout model), you can get yourself something mighty nice.

But what about the old laptop? What should be its fate? You probably can't sell it for much, and in its current condition, it's not much good as a hand-me-down.

Know what I'd do? Wipe the hard drive (after retrieving all your data from it, of course) and install Linux. That may sound like a techie, nerds-only solution, but hear me out. The whole process is easier than you might think, and it results in a laptop that feels brand new—maybe even better than new.

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Once upon a time, the gas prices rose above $4 and $5 per gallon. Shortly thereafter, the economy tanked. Just like everyone else in our country, our family was greatly affected by the rising gas costs and the other effects of the tanking economy.

In an attempt to keep our tight family budget from running into the red from the increase in gasoline prices, I set out to spend less money at the grocery store. We had made a decision that I would stay at home with our young children, so I was left with few options for "making money" as our budget begin to shrink.

I quickly learned that I could "make money" at the grocery store by spending less than I normally do. Half as much to be exact!

You hear those "cut your grocery bill in half" stories all the time. And you see the "spend $3 on $200 worth of products" segments on the news. But is that all really possible?

Yes. Yes, it is.

I became a better decision maker at the grocery store. And because of that, our family budget has stayed "in the black" through the recession.

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A summer garden is an excellent way to save money on your grocery bill and enjoy the benefits of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from spring to autumn. It only takes a small investment and a little hard work to create a garden you can be proud of. If growing your own food is not your goal, a beautiful flower garden can transform any landscape into a summer beauty. The temperatures are starting to rise, so it's time to find a spot that's sunny most of the day and be ready to get your hands dirty.

Supplies to Get You Started

This time of year, it's easy to find great deals on gardening supplies through web-based coupon sites (like the one you're on!) Local hardware stores and garden shops are also offering special sales to draw people in for gardening prep before the big rush happens in April. Take advantage of these early-bird sales to stock up on soil, mulch, planters, tools, and all the other supplies you'll need throughout the season. Don't forget the sprinklers and weed killers while you're getting your gardening gear together. Shopping early in the season will ensure that you're ready for each phase of planting and harvesting without having to make annoying - and expensive - trips to the store later.

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One of the reasons that apples are so popular and prevalent in our society is their versatility. Apples make great desserts, delicious drinks, and interesting additions to everything from salads to entrees. You can even use apples for decoration. In celebration of the apple, below are just a few interesting things to do with Johnny Appleseed's heritage.

1. Applesauce. Sure, you could go for store brands, but why when making your own is so easy?
• Peel and core your apples, then slice them into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster they'll cook.
• Place the sliced apples in a heavy pan over low heat and cover. You'll want to stir quite a bit until the apples start breaking down.
• That's it! If you want to add your own seasoning – cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, etc. – you can, but plain fresh applesauce is delicious on its own.

2. Baked apples. A healthy treat that smells great while cooking and tastes even better, these are well worth the moderate amount of effort involved.
• Horizontally slice the top and bottom of each apple and remove the core.
• Stuff the empty space where the core used to be with whatever sweet deliciousness sounds good – chopped nuts, dried fruit, oats, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup – then put a dab of butter on the top of each apple.
• Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until soft.

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This year, the coupon turns 125, but we don't think that she looks a day over 21! Our friends over at Valpak created an infographic for the occasion, and it's chock full of coupon information. Did you know that the average couponer saves $1,677 per year? Effective couponing can make all the difference in your monthly grocery bill, whether you're utilizing B1G1 (that's coupon lingo for "Buy One, Get One") deals or using a coupon every time you shop.

Some coupon fun facts for all you trivia buffs out there:

• The first coupon was created in 1887, when a businessman in Atlanta decided to offer samples of his new cola (one more hint- it comes in a classic red and white can).
• Coupon usage surged during The Great Depression. No surprise there- during difficult economic times, people are all too excited to find new ways to pinch pennies and make ends meet.
• 1/2 of all American households coupon. So if you're suffering from some sort of coupon shame, stop! All the smart kids are doing it.

 

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