Saving On Sparky: How To Provide For Your Precious Pets (even On A Budget)

Oh how we love our pets. They enrich and enhance every moment of our lives, so it's hard to think about scrimping and saving when it comes to them. The good news is that it is possible to take good care of your pooches and your kitties without spending an arm and a leg.

Here are 6 tips for saving money on your precious pets:

1. Prevent injuries and disease. Just as with human health, the best way to save on vet care is to keep your dogs and cats from getting sick or hurt in the first place. Make sure your pet stays up to date with vaccinations. Buy quality pet food. Make sure your pets get enough exercise and maintain a healthy weight. Keep your pet in your yard and on leash. And make sure you spay or neuter your pet, as well.

2. Save money on grooming by learning to do it yourself. Take a class or view an instructional DVD. You can get quality grooming supplies either at your local pet store or by shopping online.

3. Buy special treats in bulk. My Jack Russell Terrier has to chew on something, every day. If he doesn't get a bone or a suitable substitute, he'll turn his teeth to my carpet or my couch. So, you see, it's in the best interest of my budget to make sure he has plenty of rawhides. Buy your pet's favorite special treats in bulk from your local discount store or purchase them from an online pet supercenter with a coupon code. And you might as well get the kind your pet likes, provided they are healthy for him. You won't save any money if the cheap bones sit in the cupboard while you have to go out and buy your pet's favorites at a premium price.

4. Take a hard look at pet insurance before you decide if it's right for you. When my 6 month puppy needed emergency eye surgery, the vet handed me a big, fat bill as well as a stack of brochures on pet insurance. My husband and I did the calculations, taking into account the deductibles and the likelihood of injury and disease for our pets, and we came to the conclusion that it didn't make sense for us to get pet insurance policies for our pets. Every person's situation is different, though. Your pet insurance premiums will depend on all sorts of things, from the kind of pet you wish to insure, to the level of coverage. If you don't purchase pet insurance, sock away a bit of money each month to deal with the inevitable surprise vet bill.

5. Check out veterinary schools. If there's a vet school in your area, you might be able to get services for a lower cost. The care will be provided by vet students - under the supervision of their professors.

6. If your pet needs medication on an ongoing basis, do some comparison shopping to see if you can save money by purchasing the meds online. My advice would be to stick to the reputable, well established pet medication merchants and make sure that you are shopping for the same brand name your veterinarian has prescribed. That said, there are often coupon codes online for pet meds.