If you’re an animal lover, you might have considered getting a pet more than once in your life. While it is always tempting to welcome a furry friend into your home, it does mean that you will need to add to your monthly expenses to care for them properly. For some, the extra money won’t be an issue, but for others who are trying to lead a more frugal lifestyle, it can be off-putting. If you would love to have a pet but are worried about the costs, here are some suggestions to help you budget properly for a pet.
Go Through Your Monthly Expenses
Before you decide to bring a pet home you will need to figure out if you can realistically afford it. A good place to start when budgeting for a pet is to go through your current monthly expenses and see how much you have leftover. How much you will need to spend each month will depend on the type of pet you have, as different animals will have different needs. To get a better idea of the average costs for the kind of pet you’re interested in, do some research online and use these figures as a template for your pet’s budget.
Vet Health Plans
Vet bills can be one of the most expensive parts of having a pet, and it’s even more costly if your pet needs ongoing treatments or medication. However, taking your pet to the vet isn’t something that you can avoid as they need to have check-ups, and this is how you can keep them in good health. If you are worried about the expense of vet bills, consider signing up for a health plan with the clinic rather than paying as you go. While these packages might not cover certain treatments or surgeries, they do include things like vaccinations and other treatments that your pet is most likely going to see the vet for. These plans can help pet owners save money in the long term, and you can see some examples of these types of packages at Easyvet.
Choose More Affordable Food Brands
It is important to give your pet foods that are nutritious for them, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a small fortune on up-market pet food brands to do this. There are plenty of cheaper brands that will still meet the dietary requirements of your pet and help to keep them healthy. You should also look online or at various stores to compare prices of pet food, as some places will sell these brands at a lower price than others. You will likely be buying food for your pet every week or two on average, depending on how big the box or bag of food is, so remember to factor this into your weekly expenses.
If you would love to have a pet but are worried about how it will impact your budget, use the tips above to help you figure out your financial position and to save money on the essentials if you do decide to welcome a new pet into your home.
