10 Ways Pet Owners Can Save Money

1. Buy Food in Bulk

Owning a pet can be a wonderful adventure, but as many pet owners know pet ownership can also become very expensive. Pets come with associated medical, food, and grooming costs that many people don’t consider when they’re buying a pet. However, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to save a little money on your pet. Buying food in bulk is one great idea, for instance. A lot of pet food has expiration dates that are a couple years away from the date you’re purchasing the food. Buying food in bulk may prove to be cheaper than buying a new bag or new package every other week.

2. Amount of Food

When it’s time to feed your pet, do you measure out the amount of food they get or just throw some in their dish? If it’s the latter, you may be overfeeding your pet which could cause serious health and weight problems. Most pet food has feeding recommendations printed on either the package or the brand’s website. Following these recommendations and consulting with your vet about feeding habits will help you feed your pet less, and in turn, will help your pet food last longer and cause you to save some money.

3. Wellness Exams

Most people try and see a doctor at least once a year. Your pet isn’t any different and should visit a veterinarian at least once a year for an annual wellness exam. A wellness exam will ensure that your pet is healthy and can help diagnose any potential health issues that would cause your pet’s health to decrease down the road. A vet might be able to help nip a potential disease or complication in the bud if they notice it during the yearly exam. This will not only benefit your pet’s wellbeing but it will save you from paying more costly vet bills later on.

4. Vaccines

While it’s important to have your pet vaccinated, you should consult with your vet to make sure whether or not your pet actually needs all vaccines. For instance, there are a lot of “non-core” vaccines that are recommended but not needed unless your pet has specific health issues. While you should definitely get the “core” or recommended vaccinations to keep your pet healthy, conferring with your vet to see what you may be able to avoid could be a good idea.

5. Grooming

Do you love the way your pet looks after they’re finished at the groomers? Probably. But you might not like the huge bill associated with a trip to the groomers. If you’re looking to save some money on pet ownership, you should consider grooming your pet yourself. While it might be time consuming, it will save you money in the long run. There are plenty of pet oriented businesses and websites that offer home grooming tools or DIY videos. For instance, just brushing your pet’s fur once a week will save you a significant amount of grooming money and time.

6. Toys

Have you ever been dismayed to find that your cat or dog is more interested in a bit if household trash than they are in that $20 toy you bought them? Sometimes pet owners can go a little crazy buying toys and not realize how much money they’ve spent. Before you buy any more pet toys, maybe you should take stock of what your pet actually plays with.

7. Boarding

Boarding your pet when you go on vacation or while you’re at work can quickly become expensive. Some boarding places can charge up to $100 a night. Instead of shelling out that money, see if a friend would watch your pet while you’re on vacation. If they have a pet, you can offer to return the favor the next time they go away.

8. Train Your Dog

Obedience classes can be a great way to help train your dog, but why should you pay a couple hundred dollars for something you can do for no cost in the comfort of your own home? There is plenty of information online that recommends the best training methods for your pet’s breed or temperament. All it takes is patience and time.

9. Adopt

If you’ve been thinking about getting a new pet, have you considered adopting? Adopting pets is usually much cheaper than buying them from a breeder or pet store. Not only is the cost cheaper, but you’re also helping an animal in need, which is never a bad thing!

10. Coupons

One of the best ways to save money on any product is by using coupons. Keep an eye out for coupons for you preferred brand of pet food or for items at your favorite pet store. Sometimes pet store such as PetSmart also have coupons or discounts on grooming or training services, which is another great way to save some money.