You love saving money. Some of your friends think you are cheap, but you know you are just smarter than them. Here are a few tricks to follow in order to extend the potency of your medicine. First, moisture and heat pose the biggest opponents to drug expiration. Moisture sensitive medications should be stored in a location with no greater than 60% humidity, so most US kitchens and bathrooms would not be proper storing locations. Out of 457 medications in a study, 189 had an issue with moisture and temperature, so there is a very likely chance some of your medications do as well. You can check appendix 1 this article to see your medications’ storage conditions. Over time, aspirin pills break down into vinegar and salicylic acid, which irritates the stomach, so try storing your pills in a dresser drawer or on a desk. Ultimately, your pharmacist is the best person to ask about drug storage. I am just trying to save you some gas money!
References:
Innovations in pharmacy, Medication Storage Appropriateness in US Households, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8326694/
Medline Plus, Storing Your Medicines, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000534.html