Pets. Who knew that you could love something that never pays for anything, eats your food, and wants attention most of the day? Owning pets can leave you with a lovely mess…of bills, but have no fear. There are ways to save money on pet costs and to avoid credit card debt.
Our credit counseling advice as always for anything – budget!
3 Ways to Save Money on Pets
Protect Your Furniture to Save Money on Pets
One thing that most pets have in common is that they love to ruin your furniture by scratching, chewing, etc. This can permanently damage your furniture and will end up costing you a small fortune.
One way to help prevent this damage is to punish your pet in a humane and non-physical way. Say “No,” and combine it with a consequence. Or get a spray bottle (my cats behave great with this, at least when I’m in the room). Rather than derailing your debt management efforts or another personal finance goal, try this cheap solution.
Make Sure Your Pet Gets Plenty of Exercise
If you’re going out for a run, take the dog with you. Or if you have a cat, a fun thing I like to do is put a piece of string in my back pocket. No matter what you’re doing, my cat will follow me and attack the string. So even if you are doing chores or just watching television see if you can get them involved in some way. You don’t need to end up with consumer debt by spending money on a pet gym membership.
Save Money on Pets & Choose DIY Pet Toy Projects
Despite what fancy toys you buy them, pets will play with everything from boxes, string, shoes, etc. Use this to your advantage to save money on pets and choose a few DIY pet toy projects. Make sure not to leave anything they shouldn’t eat laying around. A surgery to remove something an animal swallowed can cost over $400.00! So do your pet and yourself a favor and keep an eye out for anything that could be potentially harmful to your pet.
As much as pets can cost you money, having a pet can have many perks too, like companionship, motivation to exercise and snuggles! Incorporating a few of these suggestions can help with your debt reduction efforts. If you have any other suggestions on ways to save money on pets, please leave a comment about it.
If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.
