As all of us get older, we seem to be taking more and more medication. However, medication can be expensive and grow to take up more and more of our monthly budget, sometimes leading to hard choices of where to spend the money we have allocated for the month.

If you find yourself trying to make decisions around whether to split pills to make them last longer, eat less to be able to afford the medications to allow you to live the quality of life that you deserve here in this day in age, or even constantly shopping around for discounts, then take note that there are resources available to help.

There are programs on a national level if you are members of certain organizations. For example, the Department of Veterans Affairs offers discounted medications as long as you meet the service eligibility and income limits. Members of the AAA auto club also can search for prescription discount benefits. There are a number of discount cards which are available.

Many communities also have charitable pharmacies. A charitable pharmacy is an actual licensed pharmacy that provides free prescription medications to community members who are uninsured or underinsured. Many drugs that come in generic form are the most commonly supplied by these types of organizations. There are also religious and other non-profit organizations throughout the various communities that offer low and no-cost assistance for those needing help obtaining their medication. Help does vary by location.

Many large grocery and drug stores, including Publix, Sam's Club, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart, have programs that offer discounts to seniors. To find out which drugs are available at a discount, it's recommended to contact your local store directly for more information.

NOTE: Subscribers to Safe Secure Seniors can find a list of helpful links if they need help supplementing their prescription costs under the Resources tab in the top menu. (This menu option appears once you log in.)