Buying your own meter

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MargB

MargB

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
It appears there is little chance of me getting a meter so what sort of costs are you looking at buying your own?

Apart from the initial cost, cost of strips, etc.

Just wondering, that's all.
 
A decent meter i guess your'e looking about maybe anywhere between ?15-?30, it all depends what you want it to do, test for ketones etc etc or just test BS. I know boots do there own brand meter and thats a good price..Also try the likes of ebay.
 
really the cheapast one you can find and one where the sticks are available....


Whats the score with type 2 and ketostix..................?
 
There's another option. Sometimes that manufacturers give away meters free via their websites. I got a Bayer Contour II that way, they give away 50 free meters a month. It may be worth having a look at that option. And there's always good old eBay.
 
AlisonM said:
There's another option. Sometimes that manufacturers give away meters free via their websites. I got a Bayer Contour II that way, they give away 50 free meters a month. It may be worth having a look at that option. And there's always good old eBay.
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Marg, as AlisonM says get onto the manufacturers. I emailed abbots who do the freestyle life monitors and I sent a nice email ...... newley diagnosed etc etc and asked if they had any free meters or could point me in the direction of where to get from and they sent me one, along with blood testing monitor books etc.

abbotts website is

www.abbottdiabetescare.co.uk
 
I got the boots meter for ?5, They quite often have it on offer. Otherwise it's ?10-15. I'm not sure how much the test strips are though, probably twice as much!
 
I have a freestyle lite, I didnt buy it, but that worth about 15 buks, however I did have to buy sticks one time..........25 buks😱
 
Most strips are between ?20 and ?30 and time for normally 50 strips via places like lloyds pharmacy online.

That's why they like to give away meters so you have to buy their strips at very high prices.

Rob
 
Robster65 said:
Most strips are between ?20 and ?30 and time for normally 50 strips via places like lloyds pharmacy online.

That's why they like to give away meters so you have to buy their strips at very high prices.

Rob
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Sharp as nail rab..........🙂
 
My spare meter cost ?15 from Lloyds pharmacy. The test strips are quite expensive so it pays to shop around. Sometimes you can get a good deal on line if you're GP wont prescribe them. I tend to go to Amazon for lots of things, but others have got some good deals on EBay.

For the meter itself, try out some of the companies as they often give them away, they make their profit on the test strips.
 
Accu chek are sending me a free aviva nanno i had a choice of the nanno or compact plus,they are both good meters plus you can buy the strips from boots in packs of 10 for just over ?6.00 which is ideal if you need a few to get you through to next prescrition.
 
God the sticks are pricey aint they.......thank the lord for taxes.......
 
Just got my nanno in post,thats not bad i only rang them day before yesterday.
 
Thanks, so really it is the strips that are the big expense.

Novo, your quip about taxes, do we get them VAT free? Seem to recall a thread earlier in the year on this subject.

I get emails from Diabetes.co.uk and there is usually an offer to get a free meter - but never a clue about how much the strips would be.
 
MargB said:
Thanks, so really it is the strips that are the big expense.

Novo, your quip about taxes, do we get them VAT free? Seem to recall a thread earlier in the year on this subject.

I get emails from Diabetes.co.uk and there is usually an offer to get a free meter - but never a clue about how much the strips would be.
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I was just appreciating the system of taxation that allows, type 1s at least to get these item free, you wont hear me complaining about tax.......:D
 
caroleann said:
Accu chek are sending me a free aviva nanno i had a choice of the nanno or compact plus,they are both good meters plus you can buy the strips from boots in packs of 10 for just over ?6.00 which is ideal if you need a few to get you through to next prescrition.
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I thought the drums contained 17 strips?

Sometimes these strips are on offer at half-price, which is SUCH a good deal.
 
caroleann said:
Accu chek are sending me a free aviva nanno i had a choice of the nanno or compact plus,they are both good meters plus you can buy the strips from boots in packs of 10 for just over ?6.00 which is ideal if you need a few to get you through to next prescrition.
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Apologies if you've already said but I'm nearing the end of my lunch break and so dont have time to check - how did you get them to send you a free meter?
 
Dont forget diabetics dont pay V.A.T on test strips and you might need to fill out a form from boots so you dont have to pay full price for them, Lloyds know this and they dont charge vat on test strips, you might need to prove ur exempt from paying vat so i would take a drs note with you or nhs exemption card might suffice?

Hope this helps :D
 
Your real clincher is going to be the cost of test strips, if your doctor isn't going to prescripe you any at all.. (worth keeping on nagging them though)

If you phone Customers services, and little bit of sweet talking etc you can quite often extract a feebie meter out of them... And if you'll really sneaky get several to send a free meter, they come with 10 test strips each use these up, then decide what meter you like the best, and buy the test strip for this one.. (while you'll nagging doc for a prescipton)

I would also via e-mail though, ask if they sale test strips direct to the customer, as if they do they normally do so at a discount price..
 
If you can't them on prescription, which was the case for me until recently, the cheapest option is to bid for them on eBay. I have some moral qualms about this but needs must and I felt I had no other choice as I was on benefits until recently and couldn't afford the any other way. Mine* cost around ?25 a time from the chemist but I could get them for half that including the postage on eBay.

*My main meter is Abbots' Freedom Freestyle Lite.
 
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