A costly pet in a red bucket.

Fur Baby Funding

If you have a pet, you probably love your little, or big, fur baby. Having said that, you know that they are also expensive. All of the little bills that come with your pet can add up in a hurry, but what can you do? A lot actually. Take a look at some very easy and effective ways to take care of your dog or cat while saving money.

Saving Money On Your Pet

There are dozens of ways to save money on that pet of yours. Ways that do not even affect their quality of life. Would you like to save hundreds of dollars a year on pet related expenses? Of course you do, so let’s take a look at a few ways to do just that.

Save On Pet Food

This does not mean to buy cheap food. Cheap food will cost you money in the long run and is not a way to save money for pet care.

Cheap food will lead to a pet that is generally unhealthy and will probably require more costly vet visits. In addition, cheap food is full of a lot of fillers or waste. This means that with a cheap food, more of it will end up in the yard or in the sand box. It also means that your pet will eat more of it because it is less nutritionally dense.

No, the way to save money with pet food is to buy it at the right place. Do not assume that your local pet store has the best prices. You can often find cheaper deals online, even with delivery. Places like Chewy even often first time user coupons and discounts for scheduled deliveries.

You also have to think about the time and travel costs just to go get the food. Having it delivered will allow you to spend more time at work or with the family as well as save you on fuel costs.

Save On Vet Care

Routine pet care is a major expense with pets but it is not something that should be skimped on. Taking your pet to the vet on a semi annual basis will generally actually save you money. It is always cheaper to catch an issue early before it becomes a bigger and costlier problems.

You can still save money on your pet care however while taking care of your animal properly.

One way is to look for discount pet care. There are vet chains starting to pop up that have reduced office visit rates and even saver programs, you just have to look for them. One such chain is Thrive Affordable Vet Care and they do in fact have a program that allows for free office visits with a small monthly membership. It is actually a great deal.

Another way to save is with online pet medications. Vets have a huge markup on medications and there is no reason that you have to buy them from your vet. Do you buy your scripts from your doctor? No, so why should you buy your pets scripts from theirs. Get the script and pay as little as half of the cost at an online pharmacy.

Save On Boarding And/Or Walking

If you are a pet owner, you probably have friends who are also pet owners. Instead of paying to board your animal or hiring a walker, why not swap services.

This is an easy system to put into place but you will probably have to get the ball rolling. People do not like to impose, but at the same time, they would rather have someone that they trust watching their precious pet.

The next time that you hear of a friend who is going on vacation, offer to watch their pet for them. Once they get back from their trip or vacation, you now have a favor that you can call in. A favor that can save you $250 or more in one pop. Pet care is pricey.

Shop Clearance Sales

Things like pet toys, treats and even bedding can get quite costly. Shopping for these items on clearance can save you up to 75 percent on options.

One of the best ways to do this is to shop after holiday clearance sales. Ever notice, for example, how much Christmas specific pet merchandise comes out in December? What happens in January? The stores slash the prices on all of this stuff and they slice it to the bone.

After a holiday such as Christmas is a great time to stock up on pet treats and toys. Trust me, Fido will not care that his new squeaker is in the shape of a snowman.

Besides post holidays, things go on clearance at several times during the year for various reasons.A product might not be selling or perhaps space is being made for a new model or even simply a new label design. It is a good idea to check the end caps of your pet department every time you go to the store.

Choose The Right Breed For Your Budget

Certain types of pets and breeds are just going to be more costly. Dogs, for example, will generally be more costly and need more time than the average cat. If you travel often, consider a cat instead of a dog. Short one or two day trips might not require boarding and when you do have to board, it will be cheaper.

If dogs are your thing, consider the breed carefully. Pure breed dogs will cost more initially and may be costlier at the vet than the average healthy mutt. A Great Dane female, for example, will be much more expensive to fix than a smaller animal. With the suggested stomach tacking, it can easily go over 1500 dollars.

Also, very active and large dogs might eat more food than a small pet. Likewise, some animals will require frequent and expensive grooming. Think carefully about all of the hidden costs that come with specific animals before you make a decision.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to save money on your pet without cutting the level of care and attention that you give them. Pets ate costly, that is a given but that does not mean that taking care of them needs to break your budget.