Even though these men and women are first and foremost legislators who shape the face of our legal system; many of us take for granted the "little" things they can do for us. I know up until a year ago I had only a faint notion of what my congressman did outside of legislating, but that all changed when I ran into consumer issue that even I could not fix. I soon found out that my local congressman was severely underrated; on top of representing my interests in legislature, he also provides me many other services.

The formative experience that made me realize how much I had underrated my congressman was when I had trouble consolidating some student loans. After numerous phone calls to both lenders with no results I reached out to Jim Jordan, my local representative. His office was able to get in touch with the right people and get the loans consolidated within a matter of weeks; saving me close to $300 a month. For more on how to use your congressman or woman to solve student issues check out WalletPop's guide.

On top of that helping you with student loan disputes they can also:

• Help with federal agencies such as housing, Veterans' benefits, Social Security and Medicare.
  Arrange tours at points of interest in DC.
• Assist with Passport and immigration issues.
• Nominate you for a U.S. Service Academy such as West Point.
• Help you get a Congressional internship.
• Provide you with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol.
• Congratulatory letters for birthdays anniversaries, retirements and more.
• Assistance requesting federal funding.

Don't miss the rest of our series on Underrated In America!

If you're having trouble with the high costs at the pharmacy and you're being forced to choose between putting a meat loaf on the table or following doctor's orders, then you need to know that there's a bucket load of options available to you for seeking help to pay for your prescription medications.

You can start out by calling the customer service department of the company which manufactures your medication. If you don't know who makes it, ask your pharmacist for help. When you call the manufacturer, make it clear that you are having trouble paying for your medications. You'll probably be surprised at how quickly they try to help you by referring you to programs or agencies that can help you.

While you're talking to your pharmacist ask them if they can provide any additional options for you. There are programs at the county, state and federal levels which seek to provide assistance with prescription costs and your pharmacist should know about these programs. Don't forget to ask your pharmacist about generic alternatives also.

Even if you're not a member, you might consult with AARP.