EVERYONE seems to have the sniffles right now.
In these desperate times we often turn to pharmacies to help get us through, in the hope of a magical potion which will cure us.
But as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, what medicines are really worth the bang for your buck? And are there any cheaper alternatives?
Mike Hewitson, a pharmacist from Somerset, suggests people could save lots of money by making these simple swaps.
"I generally advise people to use unbranded medicines which are often as effective as the branded products, but at a fraction of the price," he told The Sun.
We compared the cheapest value medicines in several shops to branded ones with the lowest price that contain the same active ingredients – which means that both medications will do the same trick.
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And here's what we found you could swap to save some extra cash:
1. Lemsip vs Boots cold & flu relief lemon flavour powder
You know the drill. A tickly throat quickly turns into a runny nose which leads to achy muscles and a pounding headache: you've got the flu.
Sadik Al-Hassan, a pharmacist based in Bath, said medicines such as Lemsip max, can be helpful at reducing symptoms.
"The paracetamol can help reduce pain, the decongestant to clear out the sinuses," he explained.
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However, you'll have to fork out £5.35 in Boots pharmacy to buy a pack of 10 Lemsip max cold and flu lemon sachets.
Or, if you fancy saving a third of your money, you can opt for Boots own brand Lepsip, know as max strength cold and flu relief lemon flavour powder for oral suspension, for £3.49.
2. Nurofen vs Wiko's own ibuprofen
Ibuprofen, like paracetamol, is a life-saver for almost every common ailment, from back ache to period pain and arthritis.
But unlike paracetamol which reduces fever, ibuprofen works by minimising inflammation in the body.
Nurofen is a brand of ibuprofen which can be pretty expensive – at household and garden products retailer, Wilko, a pack of 16 tablets can set you back £2.25.
Whereas Wilko's own ibuprofen costs 84 per cent less than Nurofen – at just 39p for the same number of pills.
3. Beconase vs Boots hay fever relief spray
Hay fever seasons is well underway – and don't we know it.
Having constant itchy eyes and a runny nose can be infuriating. This is why many people turn to hay fever relief – often in the form of a spray – which can sometimes work faster then tablets.
Many people choose to buy Beconase when trying to quell their itchy symptoms. But the well-known product isn't cheap.
A bottle of the stuff will set you back a whopping £6.49 at Boots.
Or, you can opt for Boots own hay fever relief – which is not only the same size, contains the exact same ingredients but is 23 per cent cheaper – costing just £4.99.
4. Calpol vs Tesco children's liquid paracetamol
Calpol is a paracetamol-based medicine for kids which is used to treat mild to moderate pain relief.
The medicine cabinet essential is used by millions of parents in the UK.
A bottle of the pink stuff costs Brits £3.30 in Tesco.
But you can save your cash by picking up the supermarkets own brand instead, which costs a quid less, at £2.30.
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