Cheapskates Style Pets
Approximate $ Savings: $500 (in first year)
We were given a puppy just over 7 months ago. I knew it was going to be expensive but I have been doing my research and discovered a few great ways to really cut down on costs. Shop around for any vet visits. Puppies need a series of 3 needles before they can safely play with other dogs. By shopping around I found we could save $100 alone by going to one vet over the others. Our dog has also now been de-sexed (at the same cheap vet) and we decided to wait to register him until this time as registering a de-sexed dog saves you a further $80.
It is also really easy and fun to make your new dog cheap and cheerful toys to keep them entertained while you are out. We fill empty water bottles with food so that our puppy has to scratch at them for hours before all the food falls out. It is really just a basic 'Kong' which you can buy at any pet store from anywhere from $25 plus. A nearly empty peanut butter jar is also a firm favorite. Our dog also loves his bit of drift wood that has been tied with rope to a rafter. He plays with this all day and night, essentially saving all our washing as he is no longer interested in ripping clothes off the line and chewing them. This is only the start. It will be amazing to see what you can come up with.
I also take the time to shop around for the best and cheapest dog food. I am a member at a few local pet stores that send me deals. They sometimes offer 20% off all products or similar over one weekend. When there are specials I buy in bulk. Our vet has said so long as you have good quality dry food the wet food does not matter. I have found dollar stores sometimes have wet food available for easily half the price you would get in supermarkets and dry food is often discounted at the bigger pet stores or places like Big W and K mart - but definitely worth shopping around every time. The savings are huge!
When we were initially training our puppy they advised us to give 'treats'. We opted for cheap chicken necks chopped up instead of the expensive treats. This worked perfectly and saved us easily $20 a week for the first few months.
We bought a kennel off Gumtree and I buy any worming tablets and flea control online. It is amazing the savings you get by shopping online for these things. Lastly our other huge savings has been friends.
When we have gone away (like over Christmas) I had a great network of friends and family who all came by to check and walk our dog. By giving each person just a day or two to look after him no one felt they had a huge load or that it was not manageable. I simply drew up a schedule that worked for everyone and he was well looked after. To say thank you for their help I wrote a nice card and gave everyone homemade chutney as a gift. This was a massive savings on a boarding kennel.
Contributed by Marion Finlay
We were given a puppy just over 7 months ago. I knew it was going to be expensive but I have been doing my research and discovered a few great ways to really cut down on costs. Shop around for any vet visits. Puppies need a series of 3 needles before they can safely play with other dogs. By shopping around I found we could save $100 alone by going to one vet over the others. Our dog has also now been de-sexed (at the same cheap vet) and we decided to wait to register him until this time as registering a de-sexed dog saves you a further $80.
It is also really easy and fun to make your new dog cheap and cheerful toys to keep them entertained while you are out. We fill empty water bottles with food so that our puppy has to scratch at them for hours before all the food falls out. It is really just a basic 'Kong' which you can buy at any pet store from anywhere from $25 plus. A nearly empty peanut butter jar is also a firm favorite. Our dog also loves his bit of drift wood that has been tied with rope to a rafter. He plays with this all day and night, essentially saving all our washing as he is no longer interested in ripping clothes off the line and chewing them. This is only the start. It will be amazing to see what you can come up with.
I also take the time to shop around for the best and cheapest dog food. I am a member at a few local pet stores that send me deals. They sometimes offer 20% off all products or similar over one weekend. When there are specials I buy in bulk. Our vet has said so long as you have good quality dry food the wet food does not matter. I have found dollar stores sometimes have wet food available for easily half the price you would get in supermarkets and dry food is often discounted at the bigger pet stores or places like Big W and K mart - but definitely worth shopping around every time. The savings are huge!
When we were initially training our puppy they advised us to give 'treats'. We opted for cheap chicken necks chopped up instead of the expensive treats. This worked perfectly and saved us easily $20 a week for the first few months.
We bought a kennel off Gumtree and I buy any worming tablets and flea control online. It is amazing the savings you get by shopping online for these things. Lastly our other huge savings has been friends.
When we have gone away (like over Christmas) I had a great network of friends and family who all came by to check and walk our dog. By giving each person just a day or two to look after him no one felt they had a huge load or that it was not manageable. I simply drew up a schedule that worked for everyone and he was well looked after. To say thank you for their help I wrote a nice card and gave everyone homemade chutney as a gift. This was a massive savings on a boarding kennel.
Contributed by Marion Finlay