With the price of food increasing coupled with a busy lifestyle, some consumers are opting to make a quick dash into their local drug store to buy grub. Well not so fast, particularly if you take note of a recent report published by ConsumerWorld.org, a consumer information and education website. The consumer advocate website found that certain drugstores (on average) charged approximately 50 percent more than the least expensive drugstore in a tracking of 25 products in the Boston, MA area.

According to CBSMoneyWatch, some of the most expensive products you can purchase at your local drug store include batteries, hair dryers, cereal, bottled water, and small appliances. On the other hand, you can get great deals on purchasing certain items at drug stores, such as CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens, and Duane Reed. Seasonal and holiday items can be particular good buys.

While you may not think of getting emergency medical care as a "great buy", getting certain medical conditions taken care of at your local CVS "Minute Clinic" may help you to save some money, especially if it is in lieu of a trip to your hospital's ER. ER visits can be expensive, having co-pays or deductibles of $100 or more. Lab work, tests, and treatments for minor illnesses such as chicken pox, bladder infections, and pregnancy can be cheap than the average cost to your private physician or emergency room trip.

Drugstore-brand health and beauty products can also be the way to go in order to save some cool cash. Comparing ingredients, you'll notice that the products have virtually the same ingredients, but with a sticker price of 25 percent or more less on average.