How I Saved Money On Pet Expenses This Month

Having pets can be very expensive; however, it can also be very rewarding! I grew up with dogs and fish. When I moved out for college, it was really hard being away from my family dog. After 7 years (and 2 degrees), I finally got a dog of my own! I’m constantly looking for ways to save money on pet expenses. This month, I saved $100 on dog food, treats, toys, and a vet bill! When you’re paying off six-figure debt, every penny saved helps a lot!

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How I Saved Money On Pet Expenses This Month

Dog Food

Aside from veterinary fees, food can be one of the most expensive pet costs. I purchase my dog’s food at PetCo. They always have the best prices, and it’s easy to earn points through their Pals Rewards program. For every $1 you spend, you get 1 point. Once you accrue 100 points, a $5 reward will be added to your account. You can spend the $5 reward on anything in the store or online. I like that I don’t have to remember to bring in my membership card, I just give them my phone number.

Before I went shopping, I checked Rakuten to see if there were any PetCo offers. Now you can earn in-store cash back, something I have waited YEARS for! All you have to do is link your debit/credit card to the offer you would like to use. At check out, be sure to use the credit option. I chose to take advantage of PetCo’s 8% in-store cash back offer. I entered my card number and went to the store. His food retails for $44.99 (24 lb. bag) and was on sale for $37.99 with my Pals Rewards card. By simply swiping my card as credit at checkout, I saved $10.04 on my purchase (plus Pals Rewards points)! It was so easy! Get a $10 reward when you sign up for a FREE Rakuten account through my link.

Toys & Treats

I spend at least $25 a month on toys and treats. I have a teething puppy who chews through toys like it’s his job! He started puppy school several weeks ago and since he’s a good boy (of course), he also goes through treats pretty quickly. The kind folks at BARK sent us a BarkBox to try. It’s a subscription service that includes 2 bags of all-natural dog treats, a chew and 2 toys each month. Bark Boxes start at $20 per month and are valued at over $40!! Each box is themed, and ours was called the Pupstate Orchard box. My pup was so excited to receive a package of his own. His new favorite toy is a stuffed acorn and he LOVED the pumpkin spice latte flavored Mutt Mallows. So basic 😉

BarkBox helps dog owners keep a steady supply of dog treats and toys, saves you from making several trips to the store, and ultimately saves you money – especially if you have a toy destroyer! Plus, you can get $5 cash back if you go through Rakuten when signing up!

Vet Bill

Unfortunately, our four-legged best friends get sick. After weeks of traveling throughout the holidays and his first doggy daycare experience, my pup was not feeling quite like himself. We started the New Year at the vet trying to figure out why he was having symptoms (I’ll spare you the details). I was panicking because I thought he ate a toy! Thankfully, he didn’t! We were able to treat him with minimal impact on my wallet. That’s because he’s on a wellness plan. I find them most valuable for puppy owners because we’re at the vet’s office every 3 weeks for puppy vaccines and office visits are free with most wellness plans. It pays for itself in just a few months. When your pet is sick, medications are typically discounted. This allowed me to save $63.24 on his vet bill.

Thanks to PetCo, Rakuten, BarkBox and a wellness plan, I was able to stay within my (new) $100 pet budget.

How do you save money on pet expenses?