Whether you take only a multivitamin or add extra vitamins and supplements to bolster your health, the prices on some products can be daunting. So why not treat your finances as kindly as you’re trying to treat your body by shopping for the best price?
Grabbing a bottle of Vitamin E and a jar of melatonin gummies at the grocery store or pharmacy may be convenient, but with a little research and effort, you can probably stock your medicine cabinet for much less than you’re paying now.
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1. Shop online
Before you fill your basket with vitamins at the nearest pharmacy, compare vitamin and supplement prices at online merchants. You’ll probably find many of the products you need at lower prices. In addition to checking online prices at retailers such as Walmart and Target, search sites that specialize in vitamins and supplements.
You’ll find a plethora of vitamin and supplement vendors with low prices but choose carefully by checking online reviews and searching for the company at the Better Business Bureau. Also, make sure you’re not canceling out savings with shipping charges.
Find out: Prescription Discounts and Drug Discount Apps
2. Browse big-box retailers
You’ll typically find lower prices on many vitamins and supplements at mega-stores such as Walmart, Costco and Target. Both Target and Walmart also offer price matching, so you may be able to get an even lower price if you can find the same product priced for less elsewhere.
For even more savings, combine manufacturer discount coupons with items on sale in the weekly store circular.
3. Buy larger quantities
You may feel good temporarily about replenishing your vitamin supply with a bottle of 100 tablets for under $10. However, you’ll soon run out and be back to spend more on another dinky batch.
Next time you shop, calculate how long the higher-priced jar of 200 to 500 tablets will last compared to the less expensive quantity and fork over more money now to save more over the long haul.
4. Use manufacturer coupons
Before you buy vitamins and supplements at a pharmacy, grocery store or other retailer, don’t forget to check the manufacturer site for coupons and deals on preferred products. For example, One A Day and Puritan’s Pride often have coupons or discount offers.
5. Try the store brand
If you’re a brand-name snob, you’ll typically pay more for vitamins, which are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as “dietary supplements.” Compare vitamin ingredients in the lower-priced store or generic brand with the brand-name product, and you’ll often find they’re similar or even identical.
6. Save with store coupons
While your local drugstore may sell certain vitamins or supplements at higher prices, you could still come out ahead with a discount coupon the store sends via the mail or e-mail. Sometimes you can clip coupons from the pharmacy’s weekly sales circular. Even high-priced vitamins can be a good deal when you’re getting 20% to 40% off. Use that coupon for the store brand to save even more.
7. Use store rewards
Drugstores such as CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid offer rewards programs based on purchases. Whether you’re getting ExtraBucks® from CVS or racking up points at Walgreens, use those rewards when you buy vitamins or supplements. Purchase items on sale (if the rewards program allows) and use a manufacturer coupon to save even more.
8. Watch for sales
Keep an eye out for buy-one-get-one-free or buy-one-get-one-half price sales. Be careful, though. The retailer may jack up the “regular” price for the sale, so that offer may not be the bargain it seems.
9. Price match online
You can save at some retailers by price matching competitors, but did you know that the very store you’re shopping may have an even lower price online than what you find on the shelf?
Before you buy, go to the store website and look up the product. If the price is lower, check out the store’s price match policy and let the cashier know to receive the lower price.
10. Eat better
This may sound like a crazy idea, but what if you ate a better diet so you could naturally get many of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function?
Make an appointment with your doctor to find out which vitamins and minerals you need to supplement. Then add nutrient-rich foods to your diet and supplement only with vitamins and supplements your physician recommends.
