HOW TO: Lower Your Pet Costs

Posted on May 10, 2007

Pet costs can be one of the biggest unexpected costs next to maybe unplanned auto and housing costs.  Vet bills, medications, and clean up or repair due to them damaging items can all be surprisingly high when the final invoice is delivered.  My girlfriend has a three year old cat and she moved in a few months ago.  I did not have any pets prior to her moving in and was slightly hesitant as the cat was known to claw furniture, carpet, and rugs.  The cat has actually been very good, not causing any damage, and is nice to have around as he gets very excited when we come home.  A pet can be a fun companion, but remember to add a little extra to the emergency fund for the unexpected.  Here are some ideas to save as well:

  1. Compare veterinary prices.  Call around for the best prices on routine checkups and vaccinations.  Consider signing up for a plan through PetSmart or your vet.  A plan can offset unexpected costs but be sure to research the fine print as not all are deals.
  2. Shop online for medications.  Go online to compare and get the best priced medication.
  3. Choose the right food, but not always the cheapest.  Research and ask your vet their opinion on the proper pet food.  Some of the cheaper brands use fillers and can harm your pet long term, increasing veterinary costs. 
  4. Never overfeed your pet.  This is a big one as it can be very harmful to your pets health.  Being an obese pet increases chances of back problems, diabetes, and a host of other health problems.
  5. Resist impulse toy buys.  Obviously you need to get your pet a few toys, but buying one every time you visit the pet store is completely unnecessary.
  6. Keep your pet clean.  Regular cleaning of ears and skin can aid in keeping your pet healthy and out of the vets office.

There are lot of pet houses that deal with everything from the actual pet to the supplies. You can get your bird supplies as well as bird houses from here. If looking for a customized house or dogs for sale, you can get it ordered. Cat and dog food is available at the supermarkets as well. However supplies for kittens can be tricky but nevertheless possible. With pets you will also have to get a mosquito magnet, a vet’s card etc.

If you love pets but owning one is out of the question, Madame X at My Open Wallet wrote an interesting post on renting pets.  A company called FlexPetz has a program that allows you to rent a pet whenever you want, calling the concept Flexible Pet Ownership.  I guess this is similar to the “timeshare” concept?

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    4 Responses to “HOW TO: Lower Your Pet Costs”

    1. 1001 Cats: the paradox and the carnival on May 13th, 2007 12:42 pm

      […] presents HOW TO: Lower Your Pet Costs posted at Plus6 Personal Finance. For me, the hardest on the list is to resist impules toy buys. […]

    2. Festival of Frugality #74 - Millionster.com - Personal Finance, Business, Investing and Life on May 16th, 2007 10:27 pm

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    3. Festival of Frugality: 74th Edition - Plus6 …a personal finance blog on May 17th, 2007 1:48 pm

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    4. Carnival Of Family Life - May 21st, 2007 - Be A Good Dad on May 21st, 2007 4:45 am

      […] presents HOW TO: Lower Your Pet Costs posted at Plus6 Personal […]

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