Glucose testing is a vital part of an effective blood sugar management program for people afflicted with diabetes. Having access to cost effective test strips is an absolute must but even though blood sugar testing devices have been around for over 20 years, the cost of testing strips has not declined very much, if at all.

Why is this so?

By eliminating competitors, four medical companies now dominate about 90 percent of the market which keeps prices high. These firms are in the game to make money and since the markup on test strips is so high (cost of manufacture is typically around 5 cents each, versus 85 cents to one dollar at retail) it represents a windfall profit opportunity.

At the same time, the growing number of diabetics, identified by increased medical screening, is set to generate greater demand for glucose strips in North America which means more people paying inflated prices. This is fine if a patient has medical insurance but if that's not the case it can financially over-burden them and make testing a lot harder to justify. They become torn between the dire need to test and the fiscal need to save money. A diabetic needs to test without much concern for price.

How to lower the cost.

Clearly, a way to lower the cost of test strips is desirable. New companies are showing up that have lowered the cost of testing to about 60 cents per strip but that price is still somewhat steep.

One method that has proven to lower the cost of my own blood sugar testing supplies is to buy them online on EBay. For one reason or another, people are ending up with a surplus of glucose test strips and they're auctioning them off on the world's largest garage sale.

Typically, test strips go for at least 50 percent less than retail which can bring your cost down as low as 25 - 30 cents depending on the brand and model of blood sugar monitor you use.

EBay has proven effective for me and many others but since it's an online auction, I urge you to be cautious and do your research on products and buyers before committing to anything. Before buying test strips on EBay there are some things to be wary of in order to buy safely.

It is possible to buy bargain test strips on EBay and so far I've perosnally had good experience.

But unwary buyers could get more than they bargained for. They could be opening themselves up to eye damage or unnecessary surgery if they don't know how to buy glucose strips safely. Counterfeit strips are also a possibility, so being informed is a good idea.

So go ahead and buy. But before you do, take a few minutes and get solid information before you commit and make a mistake you might regret.