Medical costs are on everyone’s mind. Check out these tips from the Federal Citizen Information Center for easy ways you can trim the cost of medicine, fitness and more:

Switch to generic. Because of legal restrictions, a generic drug might not look exactly the same as the name brand, but it contains the same active ingredients and should be just as effective. Brand name drugs cost more than their generic counterparts because the makers of the original, brand name versions had to pay for the research, development and marketing of the medications. To learn more, go to http://go.usa.gov/lWk .

Watch out for scams. They keep coming back in different forms on TV and the Internet, but one thing stays the same: health scams for “miracle” cures can cost you lots of money. And the diet pills and energy products they push could be dangerous or have harmful interactions with your other medicines. Save your money for doctor-prescribed medicines. Find out more at http://go.usa.gov/l5x .

Reconsider the gym. If you aren’t using your membership regularly, it could be one place where you could save some money. If you’re worried about how you’ll fit your exercise in without the gym, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests several alternate forms of exercise that you can fit into your everyday life in an online brochure at http://go.usa.gov/lWB .

You can also order printed copies of these brochures (subject to availability) by: visiting www.pueblo.gsa.gov to place your order online. Or call toll-free 1-888-878-3256, weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. Ask for Health Scams (Item 576V); Be Active Your Way (Item 116V); or Generic Drugs (Item 555V).