As Texans trim their family budgets in these perilous financial times, one essential category seems immune from savings: prescription drugs.

But what if you could cut that bill in half?

This tip is so good, it can potentially save hundreds of dollars on the price of pills for people with and without health insurance.

Michelle Grote was shocked to learn her $250 bill for prescriptions could easily be lower. "I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned," she said. "You would think that they would tell you."

What no one told her is one of the best-kept secrets in the pharmacy: pill-splitting.

Here's how it works: A patient prescribed 10 milligrams of the popular cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor for $129 could instead buy the 20-milligram tablet for $178, split the higher dose pill in half and spend $89 a month. A patient paying the cash price would then save about $40 a month.

Many popular medicines are eligible, including pills for cholesterol and depression.

But not everyone can split pills said Doctor Vivian Ho at Rice University.

“I think there are some dangers with pill-splitting and it’s something that shouldn’t be done unless a patient discusses it with for example their family physician prescribing the medication or with a pharmacist,” said Dr. Ho.

Medical experts also warn that some pills are ineffective if they’re exposed to the air.

Gel caps can’t be split and sometimes you shouldn’t split pills if you suffer from dementia or some other ailments.

Dr. Ho says that you may not be able to cut your pills correctly if you have arthritis.

But she adds that pill-splitting is safe and that her mother does it too.

“My mother will split her pills when she’s taking her hypertension pills,” said Dr. Ho.

It's estimated that 15 percent of Americans are uninsured.