Pet Care on a Budget!

Let's be honest, pet ownership can be costly. You can still be a great pet owner without breaking the bank, and yes on a budget! Let me preface this post by saying, please Do Not adopt any pet if you are unable to care for it properly, we have to be good stewards of our pets. That being said, let's talk about pets on a budget. First, sign up for your stores rewards card. Most big box pet stores and some brick and mortar have a rewards program. This means that you spend X amount and gain $ off your next purchase. Also consider, that independent retailers get to offer frequent buyer programs! for example, buy 10 bags of food get your 11th free. It doesn't seem like much but every little bit helps. In addition, don't be afraid to ask if coupons are available. Many demo and sales reps make weekly or monthly visits to stores, and they usually bring coupons with them for customer use. It's not popular opinion but is does have its place, online shopping. It doesn't benefit your local brick and mortar but when you are on a budget sometimes the deals are online, and you have to do what you have to do. sites like Chewy and Amazon have some great deals at wholesale prices verses retail, plus not waiting in line, crowds, or gas to get there. For dogs and cats I have found many great deals on beds, leashes, toys, potty pads, clothing, collars, poopy bags etc, at discount stores. Ross, Marshalls, TJmaxx all have great pet sections with lots of name brand items for cheap! Even Costco has great deals on occasion, usually giant dog beds for 20 bucks! Even Big lots, Burlington, and .99/ dollar tree  stores have pet sections worth checking out. If your favorite big box store is also online, it's worth looking into, online versions of these stores offer automatic shipping options for pet supplies at a discount if you sign up for it (you can choose the intervals, ie monthly, every 3 months, 6 months etc). Please note if your budget should change you can always cancel the automatic shipping option at any time with most sites. In addition don't forget about Target and Walmart, they have some great options for budget pet shopping. Pets have always been a passion of mine, so I always try to emphasize that even though you are on a budget, just do the best you can with what you've got. That being said, food is one area where budget pet shopping needs to be done with caution. Although it may be tempting looking at cheap food options budget wise, be aware that it comes at a cost. Grocery quality pet food is priced low because quality it very low. In the pet food industry price reflects quality (for the most part). I know this is very tempting when you are on a budget to buy a $5 bag of food, but the damage it will do in the long run, isn't worth it. Pay a little more (if you can) up front for pet food, so you have a healthier pet in the long run and less vet bills. If you would like more information on the ins and out of the pet food industry there is a great documentary called Pet Fooled it's a must watch. Ok, lets tackle vet care, this is a biggy and usually very expensive. First tackle what you can at home holistically, there are some great Facebook groups for this, like Natural care for animals and people. Most independent retailers will care specialty items for holistic care, like ointments and tinctures. Obviously if you suspect your pet needs vet care go, go, go. To help cut costs, look for low cost and mobile clinics. Some big box stores have mobile and/or low cost  vet clinics on site. Some vets will have coupons for first time visitors in local flyers or in office don't be afraid to ask. If you find yourself in a pet emergency and no funds, there are still options. Most vet offices have Care credit (so you can make payments), you could also try setting up a go fund me if you really need help fast. If you are in California there is a foundation called Actors and Others for Animals that offers help. I'll add more to this post as I think of it, stay tuned!