Pets Don’t Have to be Expensive
Our four-legged family members are the best! Pets are important members of our family… that can also cost us a pretty penny! Food, medicine, chew toys, spa treatments (yes, that’s a thing) all cost us cold hard cash.
So what’s a Paycheck to do about high prices and pampered pets? We have our Five Fast Facts about how to save money on your furry friends and get the most out of your paycheck:
😍More to Love! America added lots of Pandemic Puppies! - ...and rightly so! Close to 20% of American households added a cat or dog to the family since March 2020. That's more than 23 million new pet loving households on top of the millions of dogs, cats, fish, and other critters that we already had!
🐕🐈No dogs? No cats? No problem!!! - Do you have an expensive breed of dog or cat? Folks looking to get a pet should consider how much that breed of dog or cat will cost. Dogs like Chihuahuas, Beagles, and Dachshunds are affordable to buy and on average cost less to groom.
🐶🤑More expensive dog food is not always better - The average dog owner spends about $442/year just on food. Cat’s are a little cheaper at $329/year. The trick with pet food is to find a brand that’s best for YOUR pet! Here’s a tip, all foods are required to have the same standard of nutrition. The real difference between pet food brands is the amount of certain ingredients. So, be sure to find what ingredients are best for your pets. Studies show that price is NOT the best indicator of quality; the ingredients are.
💻📦Buying pet supplies online - Websites like Chewy, PetFlow, Petco, and PetSmart offer discounts on subscriptions and auto-shipping pet supplies. You can get discounts on the first order between 15-30% and usually on every monthly order after that, too. The downsides to auto-ship services can be getting items too frequently or not when you need them. But once you get the hang of it, any of these offers can save you time, money, and a trip to the pet store.
🤕🐈⬛There are many ways to pay for vet bills - More and more people are choosing pet insurance to cover four-legged emergency room visits but it's still not as popular as just paying cash for vet visits. If you ever have trouble affording your pet’s medical bills, the Humane Society has a list of pet financial aid and discounted veterinary care-related organizations that can help you. Additionally, many vets are willing to work with you to figure out a payment plan.
🔥Bottom line: Our pets aren’t cheap but they are important members of the family. So, anything we can do to make them more affordable will help the two-legged members get more from their Paychecks!
If you like our tips or have some of your own let us know by connecting with us on Social Media and be sure to share this newsletter with any friends or coworkers!
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