Americans are shelling out more than $200 billion each year for prescription drugs,  up 50 percent since 2001, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey. These high costs are having a big effect on consumer’s choices. One survey found 40 percent of the patients said they have skipped taking some of their medications because they couldn’t afford them.

Here are some ways you can save on your prescription drugs.

Choose generic: Whenever you can, opt for generic drugs. According to the National Association of Chain Drugs Stores, generics cost less than a third as much as their brand-name counterparts.

Know your plan: Research your current prescription plan coverage and know the list of drugs covered by your insurance. If you are taking drug X, see whether there is a comparable, cheaper drug available.

Use mail order: Many plans will allow you to order your drugs via mail for a cheaper price.

Choose static co-pays: Try to choose prescription drug coverage that offers a set co-pay of $10 or $15. Avoid plans that base their coverage on percentages, as they are often considerably more expensive.

Do your homework: There are great internet resources that offer ideas on how to lower your costs. A couple of examples are: medicare.gov, copays.org, pparx.org

And don’t be afraid to ask your doctor on ways to save costs. Many doctors stock a number of free samples, and while that won't hold you over all the time, it can certainly spread out the cost and the trips to the pharmacy.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNN.

Black Friday is the best day for bargains. And with retailers feeling the pinch of a weak economy, that could mean even better deals for you.

1) Where the deals are

Some of the best deals will be in electronics this year. HDTVs, GPS devices and digital cameras are all hot item categories. Now, when it comes to buying electronics, you may want to steer clear of buying gift cards from Circuit City, which recently filed for bankruptcy.

2) Find hidden coupons

If you’re shopping online, you may see a space that asks you to put in a promotional code or a coupon number. That’s a clue that there are coupons out there. And you can get discounts of up to 50 percent off in some cases, according to Consumer Reports. So it’s always a good idea to see if you can find these coupons. Check out some websites like retailmenot.com or promotionalcodes.com. And it can’t hurt to just Google the item with the word "promotion" or "coupon."

3) Keep it on your radar

Many large stores provide price-matching guarantees. You may see some signs at your local retail store. Generally, these retailers will match the price of a local competing store. And some online locations will match a lower price offered by the same store within 30 days. So even after you’ve gotten a deal, you still need to keep an eye on those ads.

For more of Gerri's Top Tips, watch CNN weekdays at 11:15 am Eastern Time

If your doctor prescribes you some medication, you probably think its going to work, right? A new study suggests that may not be the case.

More and more physicians are prescribing drugs off label without evidence the drug will work. And according to a paper in the December issue of Pharmacotherapy some of the most common drugs used off label, are in need of additional study to determine whether they are safe and effective.

When a doctor prescribes a drug off label, that means it is being used to treat a disease or medical condition different from the one for which it was approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration.   For example, some doctors prescribe the anti-depressant Zoloft for bipolar disorder even though it has not been approved for treating it.  Taking a drug off label isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there are some questions you should ask your doctor before picking up your prescription.

Is this off-label? Your doctor may not always tell you up front.

Is there proof that it works? There may be some scientific proof behind it or your doctor could just be going out on a limb! If he can't give you an answer, it's OK to insist he does.  And if the answer doesn't satisfy you, ask about other treatment alternatives.

What are the side effects? Have your doctor's office check beforehand whether your insurance will pick up the tab for the off label drug.  Often, insurance companies will deny those claims.

For more information on how to be an Empowered Patient check out my column at CNN.com/empoweredpatient

While most of us are languishing at work this week, thoughts of mashed potato and cranberry sauce dancing in our heads, the government has been tirelessly cooking up new plans to disperse bailout money. The Treasury and the Federal Reserve are especially keen on greasing the wheels of the credit market, where we are just starting to see banks recommence lending.

Let's take a look as some of the latest initiatives.

1) On Tuesday, the government announced it will buy $500 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities from the government-sponsored mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This action is aimed at freeing up credit for the purchase of houses, thus supporting the struggling housing market.

2) Also on Tuesday, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said it will lend $200 billion to holders of securities that are backed by consumer debt. This move should free up credit and therefore promote lending to individuals in the form of auto loans, student loans, and credit card loans.

3) On Sunday, the government agreed to guarantee more than $300 billion of Citigroup's troubled assets and invest a fresh $20 billion in the bank. This is another case of the government coming to rescue of a financial giant considered "too big to fail." The collapse of Citi, which has over 200 million customers worldwide, would have shaken an economy already in the lurch.

It's important to note that these moves are interconnected: all are geared towards moving the economy to a more stable place. If banks become more comfortable lending and investors' confidence in major financial institutions is restored, then consumers will have more money to spend. That, in turn, means that businesses can create jobs.

Of course, these are long-term goals; right now any financial security we find is tenuous. So as you lay in your tryptophan-induced stupor this Thursday, remember: we're going to need to wait a long time before we can assess the real effectiveness of the government's most recent actions.

Gobble, gobble.

The busy holiday shopping season officially gets under way later this week. But what if your budget is tighter this year and you can't afford to buy more than the basic necessities?

Psychiatrist Patrice Harris from Atlanta, Georgia, has some ideas for those who are used to opening up their wallets during holidays and may feel bad about scaling back.

1) Lower your expectations. It's not necessary to have the perfect tree and decorations. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a nice holiday season.

2) Re-focus or re-frame. Take a fresh look at what the holidays mean to you and your family. Consider giving back by volunteering your time or donating used toys to a homeless shelter.

3) Scale back. Instead of giving everyone in your family or office a present, draw names or give a homemade baked good.

4) De-stress. Find ways to relax. Get enough sleep and exercise. Watch what you eat and drink.

With that kind of resolve, Harris says you'll relieve not just emotional stress, but stress on your wallet.

Judy Fortin's Health Minute segment runs daily on Headline News from 10am to 6pm ET weekdays.

Everyday it seems businesses are laying off hundreds—even thousands of people. The unemployment rate is the highest it’s been in almost 15 years. If you’ve found yourself with a pink slip, here's what you need to know.

1) Make friends….fast

In this competitive job market, it’s who you know. Not what you know. About 80 percent of jobs are obtained through networking, according to Anita Attridge of the Five O’Clock Club, an outplacement and career coaching company. So, your first step should be to reach out to professional organizations in your industry. Another good option here: your college’s alumni directory.

2) Boost your profile

Make sure that your image on the web is accurate and highlights your best work. Check out Ziggs.com, where you can post a free professional profile on the site. If a recruiter is looking for a job candidate online, your name may just pop up at the top of a Web search. You'll be sent an e-mail alert if someone clicks on and views your page.

Sometimes, your professional profile is already online, without you even knowing it. ZoomInfo.com scours the Web, press releases and business Web sites for your professional information.

3) Prioritize

Sifting through large Internet job sites is unlikely to help you out very much. Sure, they’re well known. But everyone and their brother are looking at those postings. Don’t send a resume that’s more than a page long. The shorter and cleaner your resume looks—the better. And finally, don’t forget who you sent your resume to. Keep a list of names and contacts. After a few weeks, it’s harder to remember exactly where you’ve applied if you’ve sent out dozens of applications.

For more of Gerri's Top Tips, watch CNN weekdays at 11:15 am Eastern Time.

Next week, millions of Americans will be flying on airplanes to head home for Thanksgiving. And a common health concern for travelers is the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis. DVT occurs when a blood clot develops in the large veins of the leg or pelvic area. It's generally caused by sluggish blood flow through the vein, usually from sitting in cramped positions for long period of times. Some studies show the cabin pressure of an airplane also plays a role.

But just how dangerous is DVT? According to the American Heart Association, it affects up to 2 million Amerans per year. The good news is, in most cases, its not life threatening. The biggest concern is something known as pulmonary embolism, which occurs when the DVT blood clot travels from the leg to your lungs. It accounts for nearly 200,000 deaths a year.

Know if you're at risk: Most people think DVT strikes just older adults, but a large long-term study showed that women taking birth control, people over 6 feet 1 inch tall, and adults under 30 are at increased risk as well. The more frequently they traveled, the higher the risk became. Experts say most cases of DVT develops on flights over four hours in length.

Look for the red flags: If your leg, ankle or feet are swelling, warm to the touch or cramping during a flight, that may be a sign of DVT. Also, the sudden onset of shortness of breath, anxiety or chest pain may be a warning of pulmonary embolism, or a blockage in a lung artery.

You can reduce your risk of developing DVT by staying hydrated before and during flight. But avoid beer and soda. Alcohol and anything with caffeine add to dehydration and jet lag. The most important thing is to get up and walk around every 30 to 45 minutes to get the blood flowing in your legs.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNN.

Lower prices at the grocery store; cheaper clothes...what's wrong with that? A lot as it turns out, especially if it lasts for a few years say economists. Here's the lowdown on why deflation, a period where prices decline, is not good for the economy.

1) Consumers don't buy stuff

Who's going to buy a flat screen TV today when the price is probably be lower in a week or few months? People put off purchasing and investing, so its hard to get the economy moving. And that makes it very hard to get out of a period of deflation.

2) Businesses cut back

If consumers aren't buying and products are getting cheaper, businesses aren't making as much profit. So they start cutting jobs. And if you don't have a job, you're not spending your cash as freely. The cycle continues.

3) Borrowers are hurt

If you have a loan in a deflationary environment, you're getting the short end of the stick. That's because while it may be cheap to borrow, you have to pay the loan back with more expensive dollars.

Economists we spoke to say we're a long way away from deflation. But the risks do exist. The best way to be prepared in a deflationary environment: bonds and cash.

For more of Gerri’s Top Tips, watch CNN weekdays at 11:15 am Eastern Time.

   Many people take the herb gingko biloba in hopes of staving off Alzheimer’s Disease, but a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association says it doesn’t work.

          In the study of 3,000 people over the age of 75, some took gingko, while others took a placebo, or sugar pill. University of Pittsburgh researchers found that those who took gingko were just as likely to get Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia as those who took the placebo.

          Gingko manufacturers say this isn’t the first – or the last – word on the herb. “There is a significant body of scientific and clinical evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of ginkgo extract for both cognitive function,” said Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council.

          But many experts are still skeptical. Edythe London, a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at UCLA, says her 86-year-old mother once asked her if she should take gingko, but London told her not to bother.  “But I do tell my mother there are other things she can do,” says London, who’s studied the brain and aging. “I tell her to go out and do things and see people every day and be active.”

          Here are five tips for staving off Alzheimer’s from London and other brain experts.  

1. Antioxidants

          London makes sure her mother takes Vitamins A, C, and E. “There are studies that suggest antioxidants might prevent dementia,” she says.

2. Fish Oil Supplements

          Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging, says aging brains show signs of inflammation, and fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties.

3. Phosphatidylserine supplements

          Phosphatidylserine is a lipid found naturally in the body. Small says he’s not 100 percent convinced these supplements will help stave off dementia, but they’re worth a try. “If I start having memory problems when I get older, I’ll give them a trial run and see if they help,” says Small, author of the new book “iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind.”

4. Curry

          Small, who’s 57, says as he gets older he might also try eating more foods with curry in them. “Some studies in Singapore show that those who ate curry once a week had better memory scores,” he said.

5. Crosstraining your brain

          “Our brains can be made stronger through exercise,” says Andrew Carle, assistant professor of in the departent of health administration and policy at George Mason University. “In the same way physical exercise can delay many of the effects of aging on the body, there’s some evidence cognitive exercise can at least delay the onset of Alzheimer’s.”

          But Carle says it’s not enough to do just one kind of brain exercise. “Doing a crossword puzzle every day is good, but it’s the equivalent of only doing pushups – your arms will get strong, but  not the rest of your body.” He recommends doing other activities in addition, such as computing numbers in your head instead of using a calculator, or using one of the “brain gym” computer games designed to enhance brain function.

Congressional leaders again grilled the CEOs of General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford on Wednesday about a potential $25 billion bailout, and, at the end of the day, the automakers' prospects were grim. Alabama Congressman Spencer Bachus, the ranking Republican on the House Financial Services Committee, fiercely criticized the bailout, noting that autoworkers earn more than the majority of his constituents.

The committee chairman Democrat Barney Frank - who supports the bailout - urged his peers to consider the wider implications for the American economy should the Big Three go bankrupt.

All the hullabaloo resulted in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid calling off a scheduled vote on the bailout. That means that right now automakers are left in the lurch, especially General Motors, which reported in early November that it would likely run out of cash by the end of this year or early next year, squeezed tight by the credit crunch and poor sales. On Tuesday, Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli told the Senate Banking Committee that his company faced a similar fate.

Let's take a look at some of the consequences we might see should the Big Three indeed be heading the way of the dodo.

1) CEOs say bankruptcy is not a viable option. The heads of GM, Ford, and Chrysler all said they had looked into filing for bankruptcy, but that the move would likely lead to closure, as research shows customers are unwilling to buy from bankrupt automakers and suppliers would start demanding cash for parts.

2) Should the Big 3 close, consumers would likely feel the pinch. If the supply of U.S. vehicles drops off suddenly, that will probably force car and truck prices up. The failure of the Big 3 would also result in the closings of many related businesses, making finding replacement parts for American and Asian cars more difficult.

3) Foreign auto manufacturers may expand their production in America. On the New York Times' Web site Thursday, Catherine Rampell astutely points out that the failure of the Big Three could provide a great opportunity for foreign car makers. Manufacturing vehicles in the U.S. would cut down on transportation costs, and foreign companies would find a trained workforce ready to be hired.

On Thursday, the United Auto Workers union again urged Congress to come to some loan agreement before its adjournment on Friday and, in return Senator Harry Reid requested the Big Three submit plans to detail how exactly they will spend $25 billion. Only time will tell how this will play out, so buckle your seatbelts kids.