Welcome to the game “What Am I?” Based upon the following descriptions, guess the item.

Clue No. 1: I may be round and possibly colorless, but I may also be green, purple, ruby red or a host of other colors.

Clue No. 2: I can be purchased in any number of retail establishments, including large chains such as Target.

Clue No. 3: For my size, I can be expensive but I can also help make you feel and look good by adding “sparkle” to your life.

Finally, clue No. 4: I can be considered precious. What am I?

You might believe I am a beautiful gem. But alas, I am not. I am your next prescription drug. If you are like most consumers, especially in times of economic uncertainty, you will seek ways to get the best value for your dollar when shopping for that special piece of jewelry. Shouldn’t the same scrutiny exist when you shop for prescription drugs? Here are some tips to help you sharpen your prescription-buying skills.

Go Generic. By buying generic brands, you could save as much as 80 percent when you fill your next prescription. Because many brand-name drugs have been losing their patent protection, more generics are available than ever before. If your physician prescribes a certain drug, ask for the generic version. If the recommended medication has not gone generic yet, you can still ask your physician if a similar generic drug exists in the same therapeutic class.

Inquire About Free Samples. Whenever I visit a physician’s office, I almost always see a pharmaceutical representative in the waiting room ready to drop off generous quantities of medications for patient sampling. The next time you are advised to take a certain medication, ask your physician if free samples are available.

By simply asking, you will save money by not paying for the prescription to be filled in a retail outlet. Also, free samples provide you with the opportunity to see if the medication produces any unexpected side effects. It would be costly to purchase a medication, especially in large quantity, only to find side effects cause you to switch to another medication.

Split Your Pills (When Possible). Imagine getting two pills for the price of one. Suppose you are prescribed Lipitor in a dose of 10 milligrams per pill. You buy a one-month supply or 30 pills. Another option is to purchase a one-month supply of Lipitor in 20 milligram pills. Generally speaking, the cost of a pill does not increase with the dosage. You can then split the 20 milligram pills in half using a splitter. Now, for the same price, you have twice the number of pills. However, first obtain your physician’s approval if you are going to split your pills. You cannot split all kinds of pills. For example, time-release capsules cannot be split accurately.

Compare Prices. There can be a significant difference in prescription drug pricing among many different pharmacies. Don’t hesitate to call your local pharmacies and ask for the cost of your medications. Many pharmacies have Web sites where you can comparison shop.

Also, consider having your physician prescribe your medications in larger quantities when possible. Your pharmacy or insurance company may offer larger discounts when ordering drugs in 60 or 90-day supplies. Strange as it may seem, the same drug may be even less expensive through your insurance company than when purchased over-the-counter (OTC). I remember being prescribed Prilosec, a popular drug used to treat gastric reflux disease. Formerly available only by prescription, Prilosec can now be purchased as an OTC medication. However, much to my surprise, my insurance company will fill my prescription for Prilosec for a fraction of the cost if it were purchased as an OTC medication. That makes for huge savings.

As consumers, we often try to find the best deals on household items or clothing by comparing prices. But often, we fail to comparison shop when searching for something as important as our medications. The money you may save being an informed consumer of prescription medications may be enough for you to purchase that sought-after gem one day.

Dr. Philip Heit is Professor Emeritus of Physical Activity and Educational Services at The Ohio State University.