10/02/2025

Methods for Lowering Pet Expenses

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Although owners treat their pets as children, caring for them can be costly. Using these suggestions, you may reduce the cost of necessities like food, toys, and veterinary care. Ask your vet if there’s a generic option for your pet’s medication and compare prices at different pharmacies. Also, consider buying pet supplies in bulk to reduce per-unit costs.

Buy Discounted Gift Cards

Whether it’s a puppy, kitten, or adult cat, pets can cost thousands annually–but for the savvy pet owner, there are many ways to keep costs down. Gourmet pet treats, fancy dog furniture, a new catnip toy, and routine veterinary care can add up. To save on food, look for deals online. Discounted gift card sites offer cards for many major pet supply chains. Another tip is to buy in bulk, which cuts your per-bag cost.

You can also find some pet supplies at discount retailers. You might have to put out more cash upfront, but you’ll save in the long run by buying in bulk and utilizing Chewy.com coupons. Lastly, look for a pet insurance plan that can help reduce out-of-pocket vet bills. Many insurance companies have special discounted plans for pet owners. Just make sure your vet accepts the method you select. Many don’t.

Shop Around

Pets are an important part of the family, but they can also greatly impact the household budget. From food to toys, annual vet checkups to emergency care, pet ownership can quickly add up. Luckily, there are many ways to save on pet expenses and still give your fur babies the best care possible. When buying pet supplies, comparison shop for the best deals. When you purchase the same products in large quantities from internet merchants, discount pet stores, or warehouse clubs, you frequently can obtain them for less money. Look for coupons and sales online or in your junk mail, too.

Also, avoid buying overpriced toys. Most pets are as happy with a simple, inexpensive toy as the latest doggie squeaky or chew toys. Finally, always brush your pet’s teeth daily to avoid costly dental problems. Similarly, medical issues should be addressed sooner rather than later: Left untreated, arthritis may progress to more advanced stages and require expensive medication or surgery.

Pet Supplies and Goods

Buy a Food Dehydrator

Pet treats can add up fast. Using a food dehydrator and creating your snacks at home can help you save a lot of money. You will spend more up-front but recoup the cost within a few uses. Dog toys can also get pricey, but getting creative can save a lot. You can use old socks or ropes to make a chew toy or buy cheap tennis balls to give your dog a good workout without risking expensive injury. You can also find ways to cut costs by “doing it yourself.” Numerous pet care chores, such as grooming and training, can be completed at home for a far lower price.

Many vet-prescribed medications have human equivalents that are much cheaper at regular pharmacies and warehouse clubs. You can even find some pet medications online for lower prices. Just ask your veterinarian for a written prescription before shopping elsewhere. Purchasing in bulk also saves on some pet foods. Many brands offer a program called Subscribe and Save, where you set up reoccurring purchases in exchange for a two-buck discount per shipment.

Subscribe & Save

Being a pet parent is rewarding, but it’s also expensive. A dog’s lifetime costs can easily climb into the thousands of dollars, including recurring expenses like food and toys and one-time fees like vaccinations or vet bills. To save on other pet care expenses, you can split a big bag of dog or cat food with a friend or family member or buy canned foods in bulk to get case discounts. To cut down on costs for things like dog walking, daycare, or pet sitting while you’re away, you can also arrange a pet sitting timeshare with other local owners to help each other out. 

Buy Generic

Many online pet stores offer medications and other health supplies, including small animals like hamsters and gerbils, reptiles and snakes, fish, birds and more. Most also provide various brands and coupons to save even more. Most sites require a veterinarian’s prescription to verify the medication before it ships. It is to help protect pets and their owners from counterfeit or unrecognized drugs. Non-prescription medications can vary in effectiveness due to cross-contamination, medicine dilution or inferior ingredients, and some could cause dangerous side effects.

Many large retailers sell pet medications online. You can also buy pet meds from online pharmacies with a subscribe and save feature that automatically delivers your orders on your chosen schedule. They’ll also mail you replacements when it’s time to reorder. But be wary of sites that ship pet meds from overseas. These can have all sorts of issues, from improper packaging to ineffective or harmful medications.