Keeping Control of Your Finances When You Have a Pet
Before you purchased your pet, you will have considered the financial implications of a new addition to the family. However, you can never truly know how much you will have to invest in your pet over the years until it happens. It’s important to keep a firm handle on your finances throughout the course of your pet’s life, and below are some essential ways on how to do just that.
- Find One Pet Care Service Which Provides Everything
Sometimes, pets may have a rigorous social schedule, especially in the case of dogs, such as attending daycare, grooming appointments, and vet checks. The bills can, of course, mount up, but for such services, these are necessary for the proper care and health of your pet, and therefore unavoidable.
However, there are ways you can make cutbacks, such as using a reliable company like Heart + Paw to have all these services in one place. You may be able to find a cheaper deal with a bundle such as this, and you will save a significant amount in fuel cost when attending one place for everything rather than three different locations.
- Save Up an Emergency Fund as Soon as You Can
One of the biggest shocks to your bank balance can come in the form of an unexpected medical bill, especially if your pet is older. For situations such as this, it’s advised to save up an emergency medical fund for your pet – even before you buy the pet if you can – in order to always have it readily available in unprecedented circumstances.
This means you won’t have to worry or struggle financially if the worst happens, and of course, the right pet insurance like Bivvy can also assist with this.
- Save Presents for Big Occasions
You adore your pet, and therefore you want to spoil them, it’s only natural. However, the odd gift here and then can soon result in a high financial bill over the course of a year. Your pet isn’t going to judge you based on how many presents you purchase for them. It is a more financially-savvy move to save gifts for occasions such as your pet’s birthday or Christmas, and avoid it throughout the year if you can, sticking to the essentials.
Or, you can even consider homemade gifts!
- Do Your Research Regarding Pet Food
Especially if you have a hectic schedule, you may find that purchasing store-bought pet food when you’re already out running errands is the simplest way to feed your pet, but this may also mean that you’re overpaying. A simple price comparison, whether online or by visiting specialist pet stores, may reveal that you can get the same or similar food for a cheaper price. Even if it’s only a few dollars, it’s still a saving.
- Invest in Better Quality Items
The demand of the here and now often sees consumers purchasing the first cheap item they see due to the urgent need for it and the low price tag. However, this may mean that you’re compromising on quality. Dogs, for example, may actively wear out items such as leads and collars, so it’s important to spend more money on better quality items that are going to last longer and save you money in the long run. You don’t want to be replacing a cheap lead every few months.
Keeping control of your finances with your pet doesn’t mean compromising on the quality of care; it just means making wiser and more frugal decisions that can benefit both of you.
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