Tips To Save With Your Pet

In times of lean cows, all our ingenuity comes out to weather the economic storm. If you have pets, you know well that they involve a permanent fixed expense, beyond the veterinary emergencies that may arise. For this reason, when it comes to reducing your budget, it is something that you will surely have to consider for the forced adjustment of your accounts.

It is obvious that everything will depend on the size and number of pets you have in your home. A little fish is not the same as a Saint Bernard, of course. The issue then happens to spend less without this implying a lower quality of life for you and your family, pets included.

Some ideas to save with your pet

It is not about doing magic, but about looking for some turns to the subject to save some money. Pets know that a good balanced food is not exactly an inexpensive product. But they also know that giving their animals a lower quality feed is not the best option to reduce expenses. You will put your pet’s health at risk and end up spending more than expected on veterinarians. “Cheap is expensive”, they say. This is a good example to apply this phrase.

It is also not a good idea to try homemade food, because it will be more difficult to guarantee all the nutrients you need and that they are included in a balanced way in the feed.

However, there are other ways to save on this particularly sensitive issue for your pocket:

• Choose to buy large bags to lower the price per kilogram. The only precaution in this case will be to keep the feed in a cool and dry place. You can also use suitable containers to keep it safe.

• You can partner with other pet friends and neighbors and make a bulk purchase.
• Always check prices. You will be surprised with the notable differences in the same product that can be from one store to another.
• Look for the brand with the best value for money according to the options indicated by your veterinarian.
• Take advantage of offers and promotions.

Other options to reduce expenses

Health is another category in which you cannot skimp on your pet. Periodic check-ups, vaccinations or deworming are topics that should not be left out and that are not particularly economical. However, there are also options to reduce your expenses:

• Some vets offer a flat fee that covers vaccinations and consultations and includes discounts on medications, transfers, and other benefits.
• Also consider caring for your pet at a public university veterinary hospital. In these places, students do internships – controlled by their teachers – and the price of services is notably lower.
• Find out which vaccines are absolutely necessary for your pet and which ones may be optional.
• Pay attention to the free vaccination and neutering campaigns that are organized frequently.
• There are also animal protection organizations where you can go to vaccinate and sterilize your animals at a reasonable price.
• Check with your vet about  generic alternatives to the medications prescribed for your pet. Or, if you can, replace them with a human remedy, which you may have in your medicine cabinet, adjusting the dose.

• Consider some natural, homemade flea and tick removal option to replace pipettes and other chemicals. When in doubt, always consult a professional.

Plus:

• Bathe your dog yourself. Forget about dog grooming.
• Replace the special cookies, especially expensive and that you use to reward your dog when you train him, with some food that you have at home and that the veterinarian has authorized you to use.
• Get creative and design and make coats, toys and scratchers for your dogs or cats.

If you think about it, your pet can also help reduce your expenses. Going for a run, a walk and a little exercise with your dog, for example, can be a good option to save you the gym fee. And petting and playing with your cat on a daily basis is surely the best way to replace the psychologist and forget, even for a while, about your worries, including your own or global economic crises.