AARP Hearing Center
10 Things You Should Never Buy at the Drugstore
Shop elsewhere to avoid overpaying for beauty products, greeting cards, snacks and more
5-minute read
Elena Lacey (Getty Images,8)
Key takeaways
- Drugstores often charge higher per‑unit prices for everyday goods like batteries, snacks and paper products.
- Big‑box stores, warehouse clubs and online retailers routinely undercut drugstores on health items, beauty products and household cleaners.
- Coupons and loyalty rewards can help offset a drugstore’s higher prices.
As you’ve gotten older and trips to the drugstore to pick up prescriptions may have become more frequent, you might find yourself doing more of your everyday shopping there. After all, drugstores sell everything from groceries and cleaning supplies to electronics and holiday decor. But that convenience comes at a cost.
“It’s important to know that drugstores may have higher sticker prices than other retailers,” says Kristin McGrath, senior editor at The Krazy Coupon Lady, a coupon and deals website.
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If you’re willing to put in the time to use drugstores’ coupons and take advantage of savings through their loyalty programs, you could score deals, McGrath says. But these 10 things tend to be more expensive at drugstores than other retailers. (All prices listed are from the retailers’ websites as of September 2026.)
Batteries and electronics
You can find batteries and an array of small electronics, such as headphones, chargers and computer accessories, at drugstores, but they’re often marked up, McGrath says.
For instance, CVS sells a pack of eight AA Duracell batteries for $13, but it costs only around $9 on Amazon and $10 at Walmart. And prices on small electronics are typically 20 to 25 percent less at big-box stores and on Amazon than at drugstores, McGrath says.
Cosmetics and beauty products
The drugstore might be your go-to for makeup, lotion, cleansers and other skin care products, but you can likely find these items at lower prices elsewhere.
“It’s much easier to find promotions and discounts at places like Target, Walmart, Ulta and Amazon,” says Clay Cary, senior trends analyst at coupon code website CouponFollow. These stores may also sell attractive bundles of beauty products or cosmetics that offer additional savings.
Many retailers beat drugstores on skin care product pricing. For instance, you can get an 8-ounce container of Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser for about $10 at Walmart, Target or Amazon — or pay an extra buck for it at Walgreens or about $2 more at CVS. Another money saver: A 1.7-ounce container of Olay Super Cream with SPF 30 costs $41 at CVS but only $35 at Target.
Blood pressure monitors
Don’t be tempted to add a blood pressure monitor to your cart the next time you’re picking up your blood pressure medication. Drugstores often charge top dollar for these devices.
For example, the Omron 3 Series upper arm blood pressure monitor — the AARP Smart Picks team’s choice for best value — costs $60 at Walgreens and about $61.50 at CVS, but you can find it for just $38 at Target or around $37 at Walmart.
Bottled water
Grabbing a pack of bottled water while you’re filling a prescription might save you a trip to the supermarket, but it won’t save you money. “If you’re looking to buy cases of bottled water, do so at a grocery store or other large retailers, and you’ll usually pay a fraction of the cost per bottle,” says Cary.
For example, a 24-pack of Dasani Purified Water bottles costs $7.79 at Walgreens compared to $5.49 at Target.
Candy and snacks
That bag of miniature chocolate bars beckons at the drugstore checkout. If you can ignore it, though, your wallet (and waistline) will thank you.
“Drugstores know that candy and snacks are impulse purchases, which often allows them to charge higher prices than grocery stores,” Cary says. “Unless shoppers have a coupon or loyalty promotion, it’s a safer bet to find better everyday pricing elsewhere.”
For example, a 15.9-ounce bag of Hershey’s Miniatures Assorted Chocolate Candy sells for $10.33 at Walmart but costs $12.49 at Walgreens.
Cleaning supplies
You’re better off buying household cleaners, trash bags and laundry products at a big-box retailer or warehouse club, Cary says, because they sell these items in larger quantities at a lower per-unit price.
The price per ounce of a 29-ounce bottle of Tide laundry detergent at CVS, for instance, is nearly double the price per ounce of a 170-ounce bottle at Sam’s Club — 31 cents per ounce versus 15 cents per ounce. That might seem like a small difference, but you’d have to buy about six of CVS’s 29-ounce bottles at $8.99 each for a total of $53.94 to get the equivalent of the 170-ounce bottle at Sam’s, which costs $24.98.
Gift wrap and party supplies
You’ll pay a premium for gift bags, tissue paper, balloons and paper plates at the drugstore. “Dollar stores or craft store chains are your best bet for finding the best prices on these items,” Cary says.
Take tissue paper: You can buy eight sheets of it at Walgreens for $2 or get 24 sheets for $1.25 at Dollar Tree.
Greeting cards
Looking for a birthday card for a grandchild? “Greeting cards are one of the most consistently marked-up items at drugstores,” Cary says. “You may find them between $5 and $10, especially if you’re looking for a card that celebrates a niche occasion.”
You’ll nab better deals at dollar stores and big-box retailers. Cary recommends buying multipacks of greeting cards, which he says can bring the cost down to a dollar per card or less.
At Walgreens, you’d have to pay at least $3 for a birthday card similar to one you’d find at Family Dollar for $1.
Medication and supplements
Surely, a drugstore is a great place to buy over-the-counter and prescription drugs, supplements and vitamins, right? Not so, says Jen Smith, cohost of The Frugal Friends podcast and coauthor of Buy What You Love Without Going Broke. “The biggest place to waste money at drugstores is on medications — both prescription and over-the-counter,” she says. “Same for supplements and vitamins.”
Warehouse clubs often offer significantly lower prices for medications and supplements, especially for generic options. Consider this price comparison for each store’s generic version of the popular allergy medicine Zyrtec: The CVS Health brand costs 67 cents per tablet, while the Costco Kirkland Signature brand costs just 4 cents per tablet.
When shopping for supplements, check Amazon — for instance, a bottle of 100 Nature Made D3 softgel caplets costs $7 at Amazon versus $13 at Walgreens and $16 at CVS.
Paper products
Occasionally picking up a small package of toilet paper or paper towels at the drugstore won’t set you back too much, especially if you have a coupon. But you’ll get more for your money by shopping for paper products elsewhere.
“If you’re stocking up your entire bathroom, go with a big-box store or a warehouse club,” McGrath says. “You can save upwards of 30 percent, and even more if you’re buying in bulk.”
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
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