I have learned that there are several things you can do to save money on your pets and their care. Everyone knows how to shop for coupons that you can use to purchase dog food. Search Factoidz for other articles that provide the names of websites you can use to find these coupons. Most people are resigned to paying full price for items that are purchased such as the flea medicine and heartworm pills. But, did you know that most veterinarian offices will match online prices? Bring in an online quote and your veterinarian’s office may match that pricing. I use Banfield and they do match online pricing. (They are inside PetSmart.) This allows me to pick up the things I need the same day without having to wait to have the shipped and they do not cost me any more than I am willing to pay for online purchases.
Here are several things that I do:
- Shop online for the medications that are needed and obtain a quote to use at my vet’s office. I still saved money by providing them the online cost plus shipping fees which they did match.
- Purchase preventative care plans for you pets. This allows you to pay for those shots on a monthly basis instead of all at once. I have two dogs and they each have a plan that covers dental and I pay almost $30 a month for each. That’s almost $360 a year or @ $720 for both. Plus they will give you 5% off any purchases you make at the store on other items.
- I use eBay to purchase flea medicine in bulk. (I purchase the large dog breed size and use the kit available on eBay to split the dosage according to the size dog I have.) One package of Frontline large breed will last me three months instead of one.
- Dumpster diving. (Not recommended for normal dumpsters that service apartments and such.) I do check out dumpsters that are used by businesses that provide commercial storage units. People throw away lots of things that can be recycled such as stuffed animals.
- I give my dogs vegetables in addition to their dry food. I purchase the bulk cans of peas or green beans and drain off the juice that has all that sodium in it. They each get about ½ cup of veggies and ¼ cup of dry food twice a day. (This may not sound like much but for small dogs it is plenty.) The vegetables that are left, I keep them in a covered container inside the refrigerator to use for the next feeding. This bulk can of veggies lasts about 4 days.
- Now there are some things I do not skimp on. I purchase quality dog food and stick with that one brand. I found that when I switched foods, one or the other dog would tend to have some stomach issue with the lower grade products.
- Small dogs do not need large treats. When you buy rawhides, larger is not better. Read the directions and treat your pets just like children. If a dog loves a treat, it does not know that too much of a good thing can give them gastro-intestinal problems. Buy rawhides in the smaller size so that your pet does not suffer from over-indulgence.
I hope that you find the above information helpful and informative.