Tips for saving money with your pet

8 de August, 2019

Pets are good company, but also a financial responsibility. As a member of your family, they deserve all your care and attention, without neglecting your wallet. As there are many expenses to take into account, you should include them in your family budget for better financial control.

Adopting an animal

This may seem like an obvious tip, but I can’t remind you enough. It can be very tempting to choose a breed of cat or dog that you like, but remember that adopting an animal not only saves your wallet, it also saves a pet from living on the street or in a shelter for the rest of its life. Visit an association or shelter and find out how you can do this.

Opt for prevention

The saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”. So the second tip is to get to know your pet well. Try to find out as much information as possible about their breed (if applicable), their specific needs, the most common diseases and the most suitable type of food. Knowing this information beforehand can help you act more quickly and efficiently.

Opt for regular check-ups and keep all your pet’s vaccinations up to date to increase the likelihood of foreseeing possible problems and thus give your pet a long and happy life. Look for a vet that suits your tastes and your wallet, and avoid jumping from clinic to clinic. This is because maintaining a good relationship with your pet’s carers can help you save on treatments or even access alternative payment methods.

Choosing the right diet

First of all, find out which food is best for your pet, without forgetting your financial capacity. Then check if there are any promotions and, if there aren’t, find out which store sells that brand at the best price. Also analyze whether it pays to buy in larger quantities straight away, as sometimes the larger the package, the more it pays.

If the food has an extended shelf life, it may be worth buying more to take advantage of a particular promotion. In addition, some people choose to order in groups from online stores, i.e. they split the postage and get the products at a more advantageous price.

Watch out for accessories

In terms of accessories, such as beds, carriers, feeders or toys, avoid making impulse purchases. Before you buy, ask friends, family or colleagues if they have any of these items that they no longer need and could give them away or even sell them at a cheaper price. If you really need to buy some things, do so in order of need.

Initially, buy only the essentials and, from time to time, if you wish, offer your partner a new treat. In the end, they always prefer your child’s toys, don’t they?

Follow associations and pet stores on social media

If you follow animal associations or even stores, as well as finding out about their work, you can also find out about free or low-cost vaccination or chip-fitting campaigns.

Animal insurance

Nowadays there are all kinds of insurances, and when it comes to animals it’s no exception. O animal insurance is a long-term investment which, as well as helping to balance out the common expenses associated with an animal, also serves as prevention in the event of a sudden illness, disappearance or death of the animal. There are two types of insurance for animals: civil liability insurance and insurance covering veterinary assistance.

See the best option for your vacation

As much as we always want our pet to be with us, the truth is that it’s not always possible, either for reasons of well-being or financial expense. So what should you do? Start by asking your family and friends if there is anyone available to take care of your pet, either in their home or yours. However, if this isn’t an option, don’t worry, there are other alternatives.

To find more appealing prices, look for pet sitting services, where qualified professionals come to your home to take care of your pet’s hygiene, or pet sharing services, which is a meeting point between those who have nowhere to leave their animals and those who would like to take them in during the vacations.

Finally, if your only option is a hotel, it’s best to stick to the basics and cancel all the “extra” services. As a rule, the more “treats” you include in the service, the higher the daily cost. It’s therefore important to make sure you know all the associated costs. There is a base rate, from which food and baths are usually excluded.

Deducting veterinary expenses from the IRS

It is now possible to deduct 15% of VAT from invoices. The expenses you can deduct in this section are all those related to care provided in a veterinary clinic or hospital, from consultations, treatments, to hospitalizations, etc.

Animal education

The education of pets, especially dogs, is super important. However, a quality training school costs at least €40 a month, which not everyone can afford. If this is the case for you, use the free resources available: search for information on the Internet, use mobile apps dedicated to teaching animals and devour the episodes of Dog Whisperer.

With a little dedication, you’ll be able to learn how to handle your pet and teach it some obedience rules.