Movie theater popcorn/candy What’s harder to digest:   (1) Movie theater popcorn has an average markup of 1,275 percent, or (2) With   a soda, that popcorn has a caloric equivalent of three McDonald’s Quarter Pounders?   Nutrition aside, concessions like $5 tubs of popcorn and $6 boxes of gummy worms   are big revenue streams for movie theaters. Since most theaters prohibit moviegoers   from bringing in outside food and drinks, the way to save is to bypass concessions   altogether. If you can’t, find your cinematic savings elsewhere, like getting   a five-pack of movie tickets for $30 at CinemaDeals.com.

Prescription drugs Astronomical prescription drug   prices – with markups ranging from 200 to 3,000 percent – are enough to give   patients a headache. In fact, price hikes caught the eye of Arizona’s Attorney   General Tom Horne, who is suing pharmaceuticals distributor McKesson Corp. for   markups on Allegra, Celebrex, Coumadin, Flonase, Lipitor, and Valium. To save   on prescriptions, ask your doctor for free samples and about generic substitutes.   Comparison-shopping is also a great idea. Walmart, Target, and warehouse stores   like Costco are good places to start. And take advantage of mail-order suppliers   like Express Scripts if your prescription-drug plan offers it.

Diamonds Shoppers in the market for a diamond   should be prepared to pay anywhere from 50 percent to 200 percent more than   the wholesale cost, according to TheStreet.com. A diamond’s sparkle may cause   shoppers to turn a blind eye to the price tag, but you can land a better deal   by understanding what you’re buying and doing a lot of shopping.

Bottled water Some claim bottled water’s markup   reaches 4,000 percent – more expensive than gasoline. Saving is simple: drink   tap water. If you’re concerned about taste or quality, use a water filtration   system.

Salad bars Some salad bar items are marked up   more than 350 percent, according to Food Network Magazine. Items that aren’t   worth their weight: chickpeas (386 percent markup over retail), radishes (302   percent), and baby corn (277 percent). To save, load up on the lighter items   that cost less than you’d pay at the grocery store, like bacon bits (55 percent   markdown) and grilled chicken (44 percent).

Eyeglass frames Dishing out $450 for Armani frames?   Markups for eyeglass frames can reach 1,000 percent. That’s certainly not unheard   of. Fortunately, focusing on warehouse stores and the Internet can help you   find discounts.

Fountain soda Order a glass of Coke when you’re   dining out, and you could pay 300 to 600 percent over cost. Sure, you know going   into a restaurant that you’re paying for the service and ambiance too. But if   you’re looking to save without sacrificing a night out, skip the extras like   soda and opt for water instead.

Text messages Outgoing text messages on a cell   phone can cost the provider three-tenths of a cent, but users up to 20 cents   – that translates to a 6,000 percent markup. Some plans charge 10,000 times   more for sending a text than other types of data. If you frequently send text   messages, get an unlimited plan.