Suffering from hayfever isn't anything to be sniffed at - it can darken bright sunny days and put a downer on your wallet too.

But there is a way to seriously cut costs.

In any drug it's the active ingredient, which is always listed on the pack, that actually does the job. And once out of patent any company is allowed to make a tablet with exactly the same thing in it. These 'generic' medicines are much cheaper and currently for hayfever you can get relief at super-low cost. Online retailer Chemist4U (registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain) is selling cetirizine dihydrochloride for 79p per 30-pack. This is the same active ingredient as Zirtec, that'd usually set you back a tennner for the same amount. Plus delivery is free if you spend over £1 so order two packets for £1.59 (the best buys for the other big ones ones are at www.moneysavingexpert.com/hayfever)