Animals are an integral part of family life all around the world. Pets are there for us when we’re lonely, sad, or want to celebrate a triumph at work or school. In return, most of us want to treat our pets like royalty, giving them a fulfilling life for the short time they’re on this planet.
Creating an environment beneficial to your pet can be extremely expensive, though. As inflation and the effects of the pandemic have put a wrench in so many people’s finances, pets are becoming tougher to take care of without overspending. There’s a lot to think about, such as food, entertainment, and medical care.
Affordable pet insurance is a valuable purchase for any person or family with a pet, especially those needing constant check-ups or at high risk of medical problems. We’ll talk about getting great insurance, along with some other tips and advice on how to take care of your dog or cat without breaking the bank.
#1 – Be Frugal With Entertainment
Pets are like people in many ways, with one of the huge differences being dogs and cats don’t necessarily care about switching up their entertainment consumption. Whereas people might want to try a new expensive restaurant or go on a big vacation to a new city, dogs enjoy a different route on their daily walk.
You might think you’re treating your pet well by purchasing expensive toys or gifts, but you’re really just wasting money that should go to other more essential things. Dogs and cats can’t tell the difference between a fancy toy or a basic one as long as they’re equally stimulating for their minds and bodies.
Think about how you can entertain your pet while simultaneously doing something else. A great health tip is to bring your dog with you on a morning job. This doesn’t cost any money, and it’ll help you and the animal get the necessary cardio in. With some great weather or scenery outside, you and your pet will enjoy nature while doing something healthy and affordable.
Cats are a little more difficult to entertain in a creative way because you don’t typically bring them for a walk or exercise with them as you do with your dog. Maybe find one high-quality toy instead of buying many cheap ones for your cat. This will benefit them for a long time and help you avoid purchasing several different trinkets throughout the year when they wear out.
#2 – Go to the Veterinarian
Paying for medical care for your pet can be very expensive, but it’s a necessary part of owning an animal. If you let your pet’s health go, you’ll find they have some of the same issues humans do. Diabetes in particular is one illness many pets are being diagnosed with more and more often.
Like people with diabetes, pets need a medical professional to diagnose them and give a treatment plan to keep them healthy and maintain blood sugar control to avoid further health problems.
Ignoring vet visits to save money is cruel to your pet and will create more expenses later on. If you take care of your pet’s health on a consistent basis, you’ll never be surprised with any huge diagnosis or a disease that has advanced too far to treat properly.
#3 – Get Good Pet Insurance
Pet insurance is a great way to cover some of the expenses of vet visits for your pet, especially if you have an animal struggling with health problems. One of the best companies is Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. They cover everything from prescription medication to diagnostic tests.
You should also talk to your homeowners insurance company about incorporating your animal into your policy. This will save you a tremendous amount of money if your dog bites the neighbor or creates havoc in another way. It’s usually the homeowners insurance company’s responsibility to handle these payments for you. Talk to them about the details.
#4 – Talk to a Pet Nutritionist
Just like people struggle with their diet, they also often have a hard time figuring out how to feed their pets. This leads to problems such as animal obesity and even poor mental health. It can also be very expensive to buy food for your pet if you don’t know what to look for. Consider talking to a pet nutritionist to find the best diet for your pet.
Pets need to eat things specific to their bodies. Never try to save money by feeding them human junk food like scraps from your lunches or dinners. A treat is fine every once in a while, but talk everything over with a professional so you can hammer out the details of what a healthy and affordable diet is for your pet.
#5 – Find a Friend to Pet Sit
An added expense to having a pet is trying to find someone to care for your animal while you’re at work. Sometimes people hire a dog sitter or a dog walker to make sure their pet stays busy and safe while you’re away. This may not be the best choice if you’re trying to save money, though.
Luckily, many people have friends and family who are willing and have free time to look after their pet when you can’t. Ask around and see if any loved ones or buddies are willing to play catch and feed your animal while you’re out of the house; they’ll often do this for free, making it more affordable than hiring help.
As you do this more often, your animal may even look forward to seeing a different friendly face. If the caregiver has a pet themselves, this presents an opportunity for the animals to have fun together. This is emotionally stimulating for the animal to have a bigger social circle, and it doesn’t cost any money.
You can see how expensive it is to take care of a pet, but it’s equally rewarding if you figure out convenient and clever ways to save money. Things like healthcare, food, and entertainment are all part of pet care, but they don’t have to cost tons of money. Get creative, talk to other pet owners, and come up with solutions based on your pet’s needs.
