This one is for all the furbaby parents here: How much do you spend on your pets?
I recently adopted the sweetest little tripod ever from the Humane Society. He’s a purebred mutt of about 4 named Abraham. (Pictured below wearing his Sunday best!) He’s missing his back leg because he got hit by a car when he was a stray.
I was trying to make an Abraham budget recently and here’s how I’m budgeting:
-$60/month for food
-$15/month for joint supplements (important for keeping the other 3 legs strong)
-$15/month for heartworm preventative meds
-$31/month for pet insurance (I chose a plan with a $750 deductible, which is high, but it also has an $8,000 annual limit. I’d rather pay more out of pocket for routine vet care and have a high limit for a serious illness or emergencies)
-$50/month in a special Abraham savings account for vet expenses or the occasional overnight stay at camp for if I’m out of town
-$25 for miscellaneous (occasional toys, treats and, of course, a Halloween costume)
So that works out to $226 a month. I’m trying to do a bit better about planning for the unexpected expenses that come up with pets. I also paid quite a bit in upfront costs when I adopted him last month between the adoption fee, a checkup at the vet’s, a new bed and a ramp to help him get in and out of the car.
If you’re a pet parent, I’d love to see how your pet budget breaks down. Any tips for saving money on pets? And of course, pictures much appreciated!
Not very much! A 32 lb of Meow Mix lasts for several months for our 2 feral girl kitties. It’s about $24/bag. They don’t care for the wet cat food, we tried, but no luck.
Oh, almost forgot a 20 oz of Friskies Party Mix for $5-$7 lasts about 1 month.
Between two cats and a bearded dragon, we spend at least $150 a month.
Both cats are older and more picky than ever with their food. We now serve them raw cat food from a local specialty shop, and that can cost upwards of $100+ a month easy.
My senior chihuahua is living the best life! I adopted Charlie five years ago. Here are his expenses this October 2022 since moving to a new state:
Southwest Airlines one-way flight $95
Veterinarian office visit and meds for a cough he developed two weeks after moving $132.50
Petcube emergency plan/vet chat $29.99 monthly
Just Food For Dogs (meals/treats/supplements) $50
Chewy (heartworm preventative Rx x 6 mos, flea/tick preventative Rx x 6 mos, NSAID Rx for arthritis, anti-emetic Rx for traveling, treats, stain/odor remover spray, dental spray, shampoo, conditioner) $280.10
Mommy (me) and Grandma contribute to his regular savings account total $100 monthly. After accumulating $2000+, it was transferred to a high-yield savings account to grow even more.
No insurance plan. I’ve researched so many and I haven’t been convinced to get one especially due to his age and pre-existing conditions.
@pinay Yes, any pre-existing conditions seem to make pet insurance unaffordable… or they won’t write the policy at all. Abraham was able to get a decent rate since he’s only 4. Glad you and Charlie have each other and that he’s living his best life! ?
