Keeping costs down when buying a family pet

Keeping costs down when buying a family pet

*collaborative post*

I love my family. There’s me, Oli, our three kids and our cat Jessy. There’s something missing though and that something is a dog. We love Jessy of course but I feel like a dog would really complete our family. We are quite outdoorsy too so it would be lovely to have a dog join us all on our adventures. Deciding what pet to buy can be tricky, there’s lots of different animals to choose from and not to mention all the different breeds! Money plays a part in the decision making too and today I have a guest post all about keeping the cost down when buying a family pet. I hope you find it useful.



Keeping costs down when buying a family pet

Pets certainly can be expensive. It’s not just the initial costs involved, but the monthly and long term expenses as well. Happily, there are some simple tactics you can use to keep the cost of pet ownership low. Read on to find out what they are.

Shop around for cheaper supplies – First of all, consider all the supplies you will need to keep your pet healthy and happy. These will depend on the type of animal you have as well as the breed. After all, a bull terrier will need a different diet than an Afgan hound. In contrast, a tropical fish will need a different environment to a standard goldfish.

Once you have established what you will need, do make a point of shopping around, so you get the best deal. In particular, the two main strategies to remember here include buying online with sites like Time for paws where you can get up to 30% off many of the popular pet brands. Secondly, be sure to buy in bulk wherever possible, as this can result in huge savings that will add up over time. You will need to remember to make sure you have a place to store your pet supplies until you need them. 

Rescue (and avoid pure breeds) – Pure breeds can be particularly expensive when it comes to keeping pets. The reason for this is that due to over-breeding, pedigree animals tend to have a lot of health problems to which they are prone. These are caused by breeding between animals that already tend towards these diseases. Something that only amplifies the chances that it will occur in their offspring.

For example, Pugs are prone to rashes and fungal infections on the folds of the skin on their face, and in some cases, can dislodge an eye when they sneeze. While French bulls dogs commonly suffer from obstructed airways that hamper breathing and hip dysplasia. All of which are serious issues that cause undue suffering and will cost a great deal to correct. To that end, if you want to keep the cost of pet ownership down, it’s better to avoid pure breeds, wherever it is possible.

The good news is that there is more room in the world for mongrels. Mongrels can make an excellent choice, as they are much more likely to be robust when it comes to health.  

Also, where possible combine choosing a mongrel with picking a rescue animal too. Something that can help keep the cost down for you, but will also stop the unethical breeding of animals for sale. Not to mention radically change the life of the animal you rescue, for the better.

Prevention is better than cure When it comes to pet ownership costs, a preventive attitude is always better than a reactive one. To that end, there are three areas you need to consider.

The first is investing in the wellbeing of your pet from the ground up. That means providing your pets with good quality food, vaccinations, and veterinary care. Then any problems can be caught early and do not spiral into more severe and costly issues. 

Next, be sure to invest in pet insurance. Yes, I know that it can seem like a lot to pay out monthly, but trust me, this cost will be nothing compared to what you will need to pay if your animal gets sick or has an accident.

Finally, remember that for a lot of medications, it is possible to get them online at a much lower cost than you would need to pay at your vets. In particular, when it comes to things like worming and flea medicines shopping online for them can save you a fortune in the long run. 

Reciprocal pet sitting – Lastly, the unfortunate truth of pet ownership is that few people give thought to what they will do with their pets when they need to go away or are on holiday. Only to be landed with a massive bill for kennel or sitter services to pay. The good news is that you can avoid these costly fees by agreeing with a close friend or neighbour that you will take care of each other’s animals when they are away.

Yes, that does mean that you will need to plan your holidays and stagger them, so at least one of you is home during peak times like bank holidays and the summer. However, it is well worth the sacrifice because by doing this, you can save £100s on pet care!

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If you are thinking about buying a pet for your family, I hope you have found this post useful.

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1 Comment

  1. March 20, 2021 / 5:41 pm

    In general, all pets should have a complete physical check-up at least once per year. It’s better to always remember about this routine maintenance for your pet friend 🙂