Don’t pay more than you should on prescriptions

Out-of-pocket health costs, such as prescriptions, can cut deeply in your Social Security money. According to the Senior Citizen League, almost 20 percent of your entire monthly benefit check could be eaten up by prescription drug costs alone.

Spending a fifth of your Social Security checks on one big expense will make it difficult to cover for other essentials, including other healthcare services. One way to avoid overpaying for prescriptions is to buy generic.  Check out this list of 15 Items You’d Better Start Buying Generic From Now On.

Another smart way would be to joining a prescription membership program and receive discounts and reward points whenever you purchase medication and use them for a future purchase. For instance, members of the Rite Aid Rx Savings Program can save around 15 percent on medication or pay only $9.99 for a 30-day supply of generics.