Financial Friday: How to save money on Pets

I once read that owning a dog can cost an average of $2000 a year! This was shocking to me... not including any vet emergencies I could not see how that kind of money was spent on a dog!

Lets be honest, I spoil my dog- how could I not with that sweet face and how he cries at the door when I leave. He knows guilt better than most children!

When I first got him I would buy the Kong toys, all he ever wanted to play with was stuffed toys/balls

Also I was a first time Dog owner, I thought the poor puppy was starving because what ever I gave him to eat was gone in the blink of an eye... This lead to a chubby puppy!

So I think one of the best things you can do is ask the vet how much does the dog really need to eat.
  I have no doubt that Mitch would eat 5cups of food a day, but he only needs one. Knowing this can save a lot of money on the cost of dog food.

Another way I save money on dog food is by buying it at BJ's or Sam's Club. I can get a 40-50lb bag for $25-$35 compared to a 20lb bag at Petsmart or Target for the same price.

I also use to take him to Petsmart every few weeks for a grooming... at $20 a visit it added up quickly. Now I throw him in the shower and have a pedipaw to cut his nails- it takes no time and costs very little.

Finally the Vet- now let me first say that I like to spend money on things that I feel are a wise investment. Such as the lyme disease shot. This $30 a year shot, could potentially save me $500 if the dog ever got lyme disease. So for me, the cost of the shot is worth it. I am the same way with the kennel cough shot, I would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to things like that.

On a side note- although online pet-med companies may be cheaper, they are not regulated and there for may not actually be giving you the pet-meds you have order.

Financial Friday

This weeks post on Financial Friday has to deal with when to finance certain purchases.

You hear all the time about Furniture Stores offering no payments and no interest for so long, but you think it is a scam or too good to be true. This kind of Financing, in my opinion, is an excellent choice. You are not paying any extra money, yet you can spread out your payments over a few months or a year. If you already have the cash set aside to buy a new couch for example you could keep that money in your checking or savings account and let it grow interest while you make interest free payments over a set amount of time.

Also be careful, just because you do not have to make any payments for a few months or a year does not mean that the day won't come where you do have to pay. Take the time you have without payments to put money aside. I will always pick quality over price when it comes to big ticket items, because you want something that will last a long time not something that looks nice for just the time being.