Need Money-Saving Tips on Pet Care? Read This!

Source: http://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-care/money-saving-pet-care-tips/

Be prepared before you adopt. The costs of owning a pet can vary, and can range from about $500 to about $10,000 a year for a dog and between about $300 and $5,000 a year for a cat. Before you adopt, check out our breakdowns, Estimated Annual Dog Care Costs and Estimated Annual Cat Care Costs.

Spay or neuter your pet. The best way to avoid having a litter you can’t afford is to spay or neuter your pet — and you’ll also prevent costly health and behavior problems (read our article Why Spay or Neuter?). Spaying and neutering doesn’t have to be expensive: Find a low or no-cost spay/neuter clinic near you.

Buy in bulk. While the smallest bag of pet food seems to cost the least, it can actually cost the most per pound. A 3-lb. bag of my cat’s (admittedly very high-end) food costs $17.99 online, and a 15-lb. bag is $42.29. If I buy the same amount of cat food in 3-lb. quantities I end up paying $89.95 for 15 lbs. of food — more than twice as much! Some pet specialists also recommend buying higher-quality food to reduce the cost of pet health care in the long term.

Make your own treats and toys. Check out our guest blogger Nikki Moustaki’s tips for making your own pet toys

and saving money on pet treats, or try out our recipes for homemade pet treats.

Be prepared for unexpected costs. Having pet insurance can prepare you for unexpected vet bills. Our partner, PetFirst, offers a low-cost pet-insurance plan for only $5 for the first month. Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so check out our Pet Health section for tips on keeping your pet healthy.