If you are a pet owner who just doesn’t have to worry about saving money in this day and age then you are very lucky. The majority of us can use any help we can get to save a few bucks here and there. Many of us have taken a more “bootstrap” look on life and have decided to get back to financial basics in order to save what precious income we get.
Although it might not be at the top of the list of frivolous things to cut back on, pet-related expenses can put a hurtin’ on your wallet if you don’t monitor them closely. Of course there are several strategies to simplifying your monthly pet budget, but you have to keep in mind what is a smart choice to cut out and what is an utter necessity to the health and happiness of your beloved pal.
Below are some simple tips that can help you decide where to make cut backs if you need to without adversely affecting your pet.
Exercise Your Pet Regularly
So how does making sure your pet gets an adequate amount of exercise save you money? Well think about this. The more mentally well-adjusted and physically fit your pet is, the less it will cost you to maintain their health. Also exercise is, for the most part, free.
Dogs need the mental stimulation that they can get from exercising to keep them from becoming bored and destructive and consequently destroying things around your home… which costs money. Most animals are naturally prone to active lives. If they aren’t active enough then their health will suffer. Walking, running, playing fetch and other forms of exercise help ensure your pet maintains a proper weight and stimulates muscle health.
Avoid Cutting Back on Scheduled Checkups
Keep your pet’s appointments for checkups at the vet. At two a year it’s not going to impact your budget much and could cause bigger, more expensive problems down the road if you decide to skip out on them. It has been proven that it is much safer and less expensive in the long run to keep your pet well than it is to ignore a small problem or not detect it and let it turn into a serious one.
Take Care of Routine Grooming
An option to cutting back on pet care costs is to reduce the amount of time they spend at a professional groomer. Pets need the services a groomer provides but some of those you can take care of yourself. The most important aspects of grooming include: baths, nail trimming, dental maintenance, and regular brushing.
If you take a little extra time every day to brush your pet’s coat clean and do a little maintenance then you can drastically cut back on trips to the groomer. You can also regularly give your pet a quick bath at home to keep them clean and healthy. Trimming your pet’s claws can be done yourself and will keep down damage done to your floor or furniture. Regular home dental care can eliminate the need for costly dental problems in the future. If you decide to take on any of these tasks make sure you have done the research and are well informed.
Focus on a Nutritious Diet
Avoid switching you pet from a commercial pet food to a lower quality food in order to save a few cents. Instead focus on nutrition. You can feed your pet a well-balanced meal that is appropriate for them easily by making it yourself using raw and prepared foods. Sure it might take a little extra time and involve more than opening a can or pouring the contents of a bag into a bowl, but it is really a great was to make sure your pet is getting the right nutritional intake without spending a fortune on high-grade pet food.
A great tip is to buy pet-friendly vegetables and meats in bulk when there is a particularly great sale and prepare meals for your furry friend weeks or months in advance. This way you can also control exactly what your pet is eating and improve their overall health. You can also get together with friends or relatives to join together and pool your resources to make an abundance of home prepared pet meals available.
Avoid Overfeeding
It’s not only what you feed your pet, but how much you feed them that can impact your budget. You should try to feed them an appropriate amount for their age, size and level of activity. Do a little research and find the proper daily intake for your cat or dog, this will avoid obesity but also allow you to save some money by reducing your portions. Overweight animals are much more likely of having certain disorders that can end up costing you a lot of money and are easy to avoid if you practice pet portion control.
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Cutting back on your pet care expenses must been done in the safest way possible. Never attempt to discontinue a routine or service that would negatively impact your pet’s health or cause them harm. We all regularly do things that can be streamlined or optimized in order to cut costs. The trick is finding ones that are just as good, or even better, than what you are currently offering your cute companion. Avoid risky cut backs and find some thrifty and frugal ones |
| Russ Barker is all ears when there is a suggestion floating around on how to save money which is why he knows you will enjoy his article on Safe Pet Care Cost Cutting Tips. Russ is a super handsome and ridiculously charming blogateer for DogTagArt.com, a collaboration of pet enthusiasts that have built a fantastic website with pet safety and style at the forefront. They provide personalized pet ID tags and let users show off their creative side. These colorful custom dog tags make a bold statement while ensuring pets are fully protected if they decide to wander off. |  |
