Hipsters to the Rescue: How Do YOU Save on All Things for Your Pets (Food, Supplies, Medications etc.)
Check out this comment recently posted by Hip2Save reader, Bunny…
Several years ago, we adopted a rescue dog that required very expensive allergy shots. In looking for ways to save money, I found two companies that sell pet supplies that are way cheaper than 1-800PetMeds or purchasing supplies directly from my vet. Since that time, I have used two companies exclusively–KV Pet Supply and Omaha Vaccine Company.
I was also able to purchase Prednisone for my pup at a VERY discounted rate when compared to my vet’s office or local pharmacy. I now purchase IAMS dog food at BJ’s because I can stack a $1 MFR coupon with a $5 BJ’s coupon. It is much less expensive than the grocery store or Target.
Collin, could you possibly do a post about how your readers save money taking care of their beloved pets? You and your readers always have such great ideas for ways to save!
we have to feed our English bulldogs high protein food, we save $15 by ordering on amazon. prime has it’s perks!
for toys I use coupons and doggyloot. If you use this link you get $5 dollars https://doggyloot.com/invite/137c6b37 . My dog was on special medicine as well but it was human medince and the website has coupons check that.
I use coupons a lot when it comes to animals. I have a dog and cat, but I also donate to my local animal rescue programs. When I have extra coupons and the item will be less than a dollar afterwards, I will pick up the item and donate it. It is a great way to feel good about helping homeless pets.
Definitely comparison shop – check online sites and call the vet’s office for prices as needed. I saved a good amount on the dog’s medication, flea treatment and food by ordering from online companies. I also brush and bathe him at home as well as doing other grooming myself. For training classes, I used the county park authority offering and got lucky with a really excellent trainer at a great price (group setting.) I joined a breed club for a small annual dues fee and we have a lot of fun events and regular meetings with refreshments and guest speakers.
We have 4 big dogs and we buy 100 lbs of dry food a month. We shop at tractor supply because their brand 4health is better than most healthy brands out there and is much cheaper. Plus every now and then we get coupons that we use to stock up.
I also feed our 6 mo. old Lab puppy the 4Health puppy food. I like that the main ingredient is lamb.
Ashley,
Where do you get the 4health coupons? I buy that brand as well. I’ve read the ingredients and it’s much better than many of the popular brand names.
We do the same thing. I have 2 dogs that are 100 lbs each so we go through a LOT of food. We had to switch to buying it at tractor supply because it was getting too expensive at places like walmart, target or specialty dog food stores. This way we can spend $30 on a 50lb bag 2x per month instead of $15 on a 12lb bag a few times a month!
Thanks for the recommendation Ashley. I need to go to our local tractor supply store and check it out. In the meantime, I went to a website called rateitall (consumer ratings of all sorts of stuff, including dog food!) and 4Health appears highly rated. See link below!
https://www.rateitall.com/i-6416786-4health.aspx
Amazon’s subscribe and save is great for pet supplies too… If you order five items, you can order one thing per order to get the 5 items. For example, I order 4 boxes of cat litter and one bag of cat food to get my 20% off each of my orders. You can choose how often you need them delivered, and as long as you have the five orders delivered on the same rotation, you’ll save your 20%. Less than five orders per delivery, and you’ll get 5% off your order. I save an average of $20 per delivery, which beats a sharp stick in the eye 🙂
We have an older rescue dog and she has several medications. We get several of her meds filled at Kroger. Her pain medicine is 1/4 of what the vet charges and some of her antibiotics have been free. For the meds we can’t get at a pharmacy, we buy online for cheaper than what the vet charges.
I was wondering how this works. Do you get the vet to write a prescription
yes lots of meds are only $4 plus tax
I get a lot of the meds for my dogs at http://www.jefferspet.com They have awesome customer service and their prices on meds are way cheaper than my vet!!
You can also go through Mr. Rebates or shop at home to earn a little back
I have a dog that has cat heart disease (go figure!) and has to have people meds for it. I get the $4 generics at Target and 5 fills = a 5% off coupon. One of my other dogs is having issues with her liver and needed antibiotics which were free at publix. I did have to pay $80 for a bottle of SAM-E tablets so will be looking at the other posts to see where i can get this cheaper.
I used to get my dog food from petco as if you buy 10 bags, you get a coupon for a free one (worth $50) but they have stopped selling it so have to look elsewhere.
Also, bogo cat treats and dog treats at publix with coupons get donated to the local kill shelter. Oh and bogo peanut butter for the shelter as that’s on their wish list too.
Instead of paying money to board our dog we try to find a neighbor or friend willing to swap out pet sitting, If we board our dog for a week it would be almost $300! Or I have paid a teenager to watch him for very cheap! 🙂
OMG, Kristin-I know just what you’rea talking about! That can really add up-and they want more money for every little service while our dog is there! So frustrating.
A lot of brands have started rewarding loyal customers with programs. I signed up for the Wellness newsletter and every month and get a coupon for dry food and canned food. The Honest Kitchen also has a program in which you save box tops for food/treats. Some companies also offer coupons through their Facebook pages. I’ve also made some of my own treats over the years since the store bought ones can get pricey. Sweet potatoes are very inexpensive and when sliced and dehydrated in the over turn into great chews.
And while this isn’t exactly a couponing strategy I find the best way to save money on your pet is to feed them well. Cheap food might seem like a bargain up front but your pet will be faced with a LOT more health issues (imagine feeding your kids processed/cheap food for every meal). I’ve found that spending a little bit more on a bag of dog food goes a long way in saving me a lot in vet bills.
Carrie, the Honest Kitchen, is that box tops from their brands or the pink box tops many of us know?
Amy, it’s box tops from their product. Also, the smaller “trial” boxes have coupons on the box. And you can also request a free sample from the company. I love the brand but it’s outside of my budget so I supplement it with Wellness.
I agree with you on the dog food. I would never by cheap dog food just to save a few dollars. I spend extra to get a good brand and I believe also that it keeps my dog much healthier with less vet visits. She has bad allergies so we buy a dog food that has no grain or grain products. It is worth the extra money in the long run.
We use coupons and rebates as much as possible. Sometimes the companies will send you coupons if you request them. Facebook is a great resource for coupons. Petco has a program where you receive 5.00 back for every 100.00 you spend. They have great sales online and of course you can use Ebates. Recently they had a promo where we received an extra ten percent off our purchase on top of the sale prices. During the holidays last year they gave a 5.00 gift card for every 25.00 gift card purchased. We bought several and used them during the sales. Our Publix has Cat’s Pride cat litter BOGO about once a year and we really stock up.
I love this post idea. I have 2 cats. I usually stock up on cat food when target offers their 5 gift card deal for buying two bags of purina….and stack those with the target coupons and manufactures coupons. Usually end up paying around 5 ish for each bag of 16 pounds of cat food. I also have signed up for tons of free samples of cat food or pet treats. More recently when rite aid had there cat litter as part of an arm and hammer deal I walked away with paying essentially tax using manufactor coupons and the up rewards I received back for buying 20 dollars of arm and hammer products…. In the past when safeway has the cat litter on 5 dollar fridays and its apart of the deal. I pair that with that a manufactors coupon…and I have paid around 1.50 up to 4 dollars for 20 pounds which is pretty good since its our brand of cat litter….
Right now through July 7th Menards currently has a $10.00 rebate available for P&G product purchase of $40 or more. This works out great for those pet owners that use Iams brand dog food. Their price is $34.99 for a 38.5 lb bag making it $0.908 per lb, after the rebate if you buy two bags makes it $0.778 per lb. Beats all other competitor prices including Sams Club which is usually the leader at around $0.845 per lb in our area.
Our Menards accepts manufacturer coupons so this could even be cheaper!!!
I know this only helps a select few, but if you live in SoCal, Kahoots is THE BEST pet store! Their store brand food is awesome (price & natural ingredients). We love the kahoots dry & wet food for our kitty. We no longer live in CA, but stock up when visiting our family. It’s seriously that good! Our cat can’t get enough.
I don’t do this but Pet Supplies Plus has a vet program that shows up on selected dates. They are currently doing free rabies vaccines for dogs and $10 ones for cats along with low cost vaccines and other vet services.
I stocked up on dog toys when they were 75% ++ off after Christmas.
I got them for $2 or less.
We still have a stash.
I also make our own frosty paws 🙂
1 32oz container of plain yogurt
1 large can of pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
OR
1 32oz container of plain yogurt
1 large jar of apple sauce
mix together and spoon into muffin tins. Flash freeze.
defrost for 15 minutes and remove from tins and place in Ziploc bags in the freezer.
thanks for the frosty paws recipe. My dog loves them. When I ask if he wants a frosty paw he runs to the freezer.
My 2 doggies LOVE Frosty Paws but now that I know how to make them myself, I do believe that I will be saving lots! Thanks for the recipie!!
We also add a tbsp. of peanut butter to the yogurt pumpkin mixture. My furry kid loves it!
Thank you! My dog loves Frosty Paws in the summer but I only buy them once or twice a year (usually for his birthday LOL). I will definitely be using this recipe!
I feed my Frenchie Holistic Select and every month they e-mail me coupons!
For those in the Kansas City, MO area, there is a vet’s office called Angels Vet Express near St. Joseph, MO. The clinic is about an hour drive north of northern Kansas City. Even with a long drive it still saves a TON of money! Just to give you an idea, surgery on my dog to remove a tumor will be about $40 in total. Vet visits and everything in between have equally impressive savings as well. https://www.angelsvetexpress.org/
I have 3 german shepherds, one who’s on proin and phenobarbatol another who’s on prednisone and azathioprine and another who’s on joint supplements. I get 3 of these meds at CVS, the other two at drs foster and smith. For dog food I call the manufacturer’s and have them send me coupons. I also watch for great deals to maximize savings on food and grooming.
I have to agree about Foster & Smith especially for Rx and flea-tick medication. I worked there for over two years and it is a great company. The best part is that they often offer free or cheap shipping on flea-tick and Rx items because they are so light… Also customer service is great (really) they offer 100% satisfaction guaranteed. I’ve seen litter boxes come back used for months and it broke – they refunded the full price as long as the order slip is in the box, no questions asked. I took calls and helped to process returns so I know all about it!! There is also live chat, and you can order live fish/sand/coral frags – you name it. Amazing company!! Also their food is very high quality.. And it is legit when they say it is run by vets. They really care about their customers 🙂
I’ve been ordering from them for about 10 years and always recommend them as well!
Hi Sara, I love Dr. Foster and Smith. With all 3 of my dogs on medications it’s been a lifesaver for me and my pocketbook. The customer service is Wonderful and friendly. I get my proin, cosequin, heartworm, and flea in tick there. You can’t beat the prices, I’ve compared and like you said, most of the time I get free shipping. I can’t say enough good things about them. Great company.
Wow 3? I have one, he is a rescue and is just the most loyal and loving animal you could ever ask for. I know this is off topic but how do you handle shedding? My Samuel sheds constantly, he’s a fur factory!
Hi Barbie, I get them groomed every 3 months. Petsmart sends me coupons via email for $10 off grooming which is $31.99 for a basic bath and brush (they also have a furminator treatment, but I find if you bring them every 3 mo, you don’t need it) minus the $10 cpn is $21.99, I do give her a tip of $6 each dog cause she does such a good job. Petsmart is very good to me, they look and smell great and it cuts down on the shedding a lot. Call customer service and they will email you a grooming coupon. Once you start going they will send one out (works great because I get them in time for the next groom). Good luck 🙂 and yes they are loyal and loving, they are great dogs.
Order things through Amazon Subscribe & Save. Also I use Fresh Step litter for my cat and participate in their rewards program. Purchases earn points that can be used for discounts and coupons for more Fresh Step products.
If you have 5 or more dogs or have 1 litter a year, check out purinas reward program. You can submit circles to redeem for vet checks or coupons etc. Also if you have a litter of pups, you can get free puppy kits. They send you a packet for each pup with a chart for health records and breed info and a coupon for the new owner. They also send you a coupon for up to 12.00 off a bag of puppy chow. And then you can fill the little bags they give you for each pup n send it with them to their new home. I only had two pups in the last litter and i got a 17lb bag for. 90 and filled the two sample bags to go with the pups n have most of the bag left. I think eukenoba (sp?) also has a good reward program. Oh n no, i’m not a breeder. I have one female n she had a planned litter. 🙂
We just got a puppy after “thinking about it” for 8 or 9 years. 🙂 I have been shopping at Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning, and Ross Dress for Less for toys, treats, a bed, and leash. I got high quality organic treats for $2 a bag on clearance. I got a nice bed for $12 on clearance as well. I have also picked up a few clearance toys.
For food I checked Costco and looked at the ingredients on the different types of food they have. I picked a good quality Kirkland brand food that he seems to be liking and I have noticed no problems from it.
I signed him up for the Optimum Wellness plan at Banfield Hospital in Petsmart. I will pay $36/month for a year and that will cover all his shots, dewormings, and neuter. I can also take him in to see a vet as many times as I want in that year. I researched the costs for the vaccinations and neutering and it will cost about $50 more for the plan. For me that is worth it because I can take him in for any issue and not worry about the $100 or so it will cost just to be seen. Plus spreading out the first year vet expenses in 12 payments is nice too.
We also have a cat and 8 chickens. They are all pets, but require less maintenance than a dog. The cat is a mouser who lives in the garage since I am allergic. She eats the cheapest cat food that they have at Costco, but also lots of mice, moles, and other things she finds in her hunts. The chickens eat good quality feed because they make food for us. I get their feed from a locally owned store and it is made at a local farm.
I sure appreciate all the tips from everyone!
Also, I have some one-time use coupon codes that I can’t use so feel free to use them if you can. First come, first served.
Wag.com 25% off pet food on your 1st order – MDAXP33 (new customers only) exp. 9/30/13 excludes Acana and Orijen brands
Casa.com $10 off your 1st order – AEYCAW33 (new customers only) exp.9/30/13
Soap.com $10 off 1st order – 33DD98S3 (new customers only) exp. 7/31/13
Soap.com 30% off Yes To, Green Works, and/or Cottonelle – 3KYNW340 (new customers only) exp. 7/31/13
Soap.com 10% off any one item for customers who have previously made a purchase – MHGK7TC7 exp. 7/31/13
Soap.com $10 off 1st order – DYSHAYM0 (new customers only) exp. 8/31/13
Soap.com 30% off all P&G brands – GNMDGQT0 (new customers only) exp. 8/31/13
Soap.com 15% off any one item for customers who have previously made a purchase – WX9Q3DB2 exp. 8/31/13
I am also have the Optimum Wellness plan at Banfield Hospital in Petsmart
They saved me so much money when we adopted a pet that was sick. The first 4 months we had him we had the take him to the vet almost every two weeks…so worth it. It saved way over 600 dollars. Very nice program, however I i wish they had more locations.
I get my dog’s meds filled at Target for about 1/10 of the price that my vet charges. My groomer gives me a small discount for paying with cash. I brush his teeth regularly so that hopefully in the future he won’t need teeth pulled. I also shop Petco’s clearance section after each holiday to get his toys on sale. I recently bought him a $7 loofah dog w bunny ears for $1!
Pet health insurance! We pay a small amount each month per pup and get $8,000 yearly coverage each, with a $50 deductible. It has literally saved me THOUSANDS of dollars. Thousands. Comes with the added benefit of not worrying about affording my pet’s care. I really cannot say enough good things about it. We use a company called PetPlan. I like it better than those gimmicky petsmart “insurance” plans, as we can use this anywhere, anytime, and generally get reimbursed within 1.5weeks. We really would have been in some tricky financial situations without it. I highly recommend you look into it!
the website we use is http://www.gopetplan.com. I am not a rep, just a very, very satisfied customer. I will never go without it for any animal ever again. I couldn’t imagine having to lose my baby because I couldn’t afford a surgery.
Forgot to add, for vaccines, check out petco’s VETCO clinic offerings. A licensed veterinarian visits monthly to administer low cost vaccines. No exams, just shots & microchips for 1/3 of vet office cost,
Sounds funny but I only buy Bionic Pet Toys made with Bionic Rubber since they last and last. Don’t have to keep replacing toys and they can float and get thrown in the dishwasher too!
where do u buy this at? I have a jack Russell terrier puppy and he chewed through Kong toys!
My JRT will destroy anything but the “Kong Xtreme” (black, not red) and huge Nylabones. She’s 8 now, and I finally got smart about 2 years ago and quit trying to find other stuff that she can’t chew to pieces. For toys to last longer, definitely size up–he cannot fit the entire thing in his mouth and that helps him not tear them up as fast. 🙂 I order toys in Large or “Wolf” (Nylabones). For anyone with a power chewer, don’t waste money on thing like the Orka toys that say for extreme chewers, the small or “puppy” nylabones, the supposedly indestructible small tire toys, rope bones, or anything you can squeeze with your hand and feel it give. I asked my vet if it was bad that she doesn’t have any “soft” toys, and he said she actually has the cleanest teeth of any dog he’s ever seen because of the hard toys. I’ve only had her teeth cleaned once in 8 years due to this, so I guess that’s a win on savings for that…😛although I’d gladly pay to have her teeth cleaned annually if they needed it.
thank u so much 4 responding! I have a JRT puppy and am at my wits end w/him because he chews on anything and everything! he also is not housebroken. I don’t have the money to pay 4 training classes and don’t want to give him away but it is difficult to potty train him
My JRT took a really LONG time to be potty-trained. Don’t give up, he will eventually get it! I totally agree with Jennifer. Buy the extreme toys that last longer! I bought a ball from planet dog for the strongest chewer, and it has lasted quite a while! As far as chewing, try to catch him in the act, and say “no”! My dog destroys all his toys, but when he gets something he shouldn’t have, I just say “no”, and he drops it. The puppy will learn what he can and cannot chew with time and training. My dog never went to any training classes, but I would definitely recommend socializing your dog now. My dog is afraid of other dogs because I didn’t socialize him properly. Also, JRTs need a lot of exercise, and this definitely helps with bad behavior!! Ours is 7, and he still loves running alongside us when we ride our bikes! 🙂
My wife and I have two wonderful Maine Coone Cats. In the past they’ve experienced several problems with their food. Usually they would throw up a lot of their food right after they ate it.
Eventually learning more about their food needs, we decided to start feeding them Royal Canin Maine Coone 31. The kibbles are a lot larger than the normal brands (e.g. Purina, IAMS, etc.). This will make our cats eat a lot slower, actually chew the kibbles and therefor it significantly reduces the vomiting.
Royal Canin Maine Coone 31 is a pretty expensive brand of cat food. I was shocked to see the on the shelf when we first bought. Being an avid couponer I knew there would be a better deal around. I started browsing on the internet and I soon found out that Amazon.com has the best deal.
Check this out:
Petco
2.5 lbs for $17.99 + $5.99 shipping
Price per lb: $9.59
Petsmart
6.0 lbs for $30.99 + $4.99 shipping
Price per lb: $5.99
Amazon
6.0 lbs for $21.99 + $0.00 shipping with Prime
Price per lb: $3.67(AMAZING!)
I buy one large Frontline for a 45-89 pound dog for $14.99 on Ebay and then I break that up into a 6 month supply for my 15 pound cairn terrier. It is much cheaper than buying the dose made specifically for her weight and as long as you make sure the seller is top rated and the product is sealed and authentic, you save a TON of money by separating the supply yourself.
Regarding allergies, my dog also has pretty bad allergies this time of year and I found that if it isn’t severe, I can rub coconut oil all over her skin to sooth it. It works wonders for her and I love that if she licks any of it, it is actually great for her to ingest as well.
Buy any same size and type of dog food at Pet Supermarket. Every 10 bags you get one free !!
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions! We are currently raising funds for my daughter to get a service dog, so I’m trying to prepare and learn as much as I can.
We have 2 cats. I think the best way to save is to feed them high quality food, so they don’t suffer from diseases later on. I use Nature’s Variety dry food and Tiki Cat wet food daily. It’s not cheap, but it will pay off in the long run.
Here’s a great site for finding the best cat foods:
https://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/landing/choosing-the-best-cat-food-for-your-awesome-cat/
Agree 100%. High quality food pays for itself because you have less health problems with your pets!!
Our county has a traveling veterinarian. I take my dogs and cat to him once a year for all their shots. The vet mails out cards with times and locations. I also get a reminder card every year. the vacinations are really inexpensive. You can also get medications and flee treatments discounted.
We have a ferret. One thing I have found is Ferret.com. They have by far the best prices on cages, food, and litter supplies, as long as you don’t mind buying in bulk. I was laugh when i go into the petstore and see the hammocks ect, knowing how much they are online at Ferret.com. I always wait till they have a promocode for free or little shipping expensive.
I also have cats. I am always apauled by how much the vet charges to see each one of them. I have 4 and I believe a yearly exam and shots is $150 each. I dont’ know how anyone can affoard that. So I usually wait for walgreens to have their traveling pet care shot van come in. It seems crazy to give a vet 3XS what it cost from the traveling vacine van. Everyone wants good homes for pets, but then they gouge you to death with shots and flea medications.
I inherited 2 cats when my Mom passed away for a total of four cats!! I buy gift cards for PetSmart on GiftCardGranny.com at a 15% discount. I then stack manufacturers coupons with PetSmart coupons and sales and pay with the giftcard to maximize my savings. I registered my pets with their birthdays on PetSmarts website and I get coupons emailed to me for free toys or other discounts. I have to use Feliway plugins (they release a cat pheromone) or the cats will start to fight with each other and I buy them on Amazon. They are $10 for a refill vs the $40 I would spend on one in the store. I also use Target Pharmacy with Pharmacy rewards for my cats prescription. I get 5% off for every 5 I buy and it is only $4.
For those of us with wet pets 🙂 for flake food, I have gotten plenty for free using tetras coupons on facebook and a sale. For frozen brine shrimp for the frog, I buy at petsmart on sale and stock up…it lasts forever frozen. I have not been able to find a good way to stock up on algae tablets for the snails but I have found that they like cucumber slices even more and I happen to work at a restaurant where we throw tons out at the end of every day= free for me 🙂 so it pays to think outside the box! All the fish in my tank will nibble on them too! Oh and for invertebrates try using weekend feeders instead of calcium supplements, much cheaper and the plaster of Paris is an excellent source of calcium!!
When my elderly dog needed Cosaquin, I did some research. I found that there is a big difference in quality between brands. The best brand was made by Nutramax and they also made Cosamin for people. At the vet office Cosaquin was over $100 a bottle and at Costco a slightly larger bottle of the stuff for people (Cosamin) was around $40. I asked my vet what the difference was. She called the company and told me they were exactly the same (except flavoring) so I bought the $40 Cosamin and a jar of peanut butter.
Kroger has $4 plus tax rx for canines. Prednisone is one $15 at the vet
I saw this while browsing for a dog park in my county:
The nations first and only non-profit Pet Food Stamps program ( http://www.PetFoodStamps.org ) provides free home delivery of pet food to food stamp recipients and low income people and families across the United States.
Seems like a pretty cool program for seniors and others that need a companion, but can’t always afford the upkeep of food. 🙂
Dog toys are typically SO much cheaper on Amazon than at Petco or Petsmart–often about 50% of what they’re charging at the store for Nylabones and Kong toys. Another item I purchase from amazon is Glyco-Flex, with free prime shipping a bag is $21.64 and at my vet’s office, they’re $30+ tax for the same thing. For those with white dogs, Drugstore.com carries That Tear Stain Stuff at reasonable prices: it’s the same thing (active ingredient and flavoring) as Angel’s Eyes without the higher prices–but drugstore’s price fluctuates widely, so check before you just reorder–sometimes it’s not such a great deal, or only certain sized containers are a good price. Shop around online for things like Comfortis, Frontline, etc.– I’m not site-loyal on those because I can often find coupon codes from different sites. I was surprised when I noticed one day that ShopAtHome had cash back for some of the pet supply sites, so definitely check there or ebates before placing an order!
I often troll the pet clearance at Target and donate these items to the shelters. Cheap toys may not last very long, but something to play with is better than nothing when they’re locked up in a cage all day. 🙁 Target often has shampoo, leashes, dishes, etc. on clearance for at least 50% off. Shelters also love your old towels, blankets, sheets, and (sometimes–ask your shelter) pillows.
February is pet dental health month. My dog’s vet offers a 15% discount on dental cleaning then. It’s worth looking around for if your pet needs a dental scaling – it saved me about $20 last time!
Stock up as much as you can during clearance and sales events. I find that between Pet Supplies Plus and Petsmart, one of them will usually have one of the two canned dog food brands I buy (which I use as topping on the dry stuff) for $1 each month. I buy the big cans, and use half for his morning meal, and rest for his evening meal. And if you time it right there’s often a coupon good for $5 off purchase of $25/30/etc, which means its actually less.
By the way for those who read this in time, Petsmart is doing a one day sale Wed 7/3 with some good deals! For those with small animals, they’re going to have the good CareFresh bedding half price!
For vet services, it definitely pays to ask around. When my dog needed a cyst removed, I was given one quote for $800, another for a $1000! I mentioned it at work, and one of my coworkers suggested his vet. While they were a no-frills vet office, they were wonderful people, had a lot of great reviews and it ended up only costing me $200 – since I saved so much I went ahead and had his teeth cleaned too while he was out.
Also check your area for local vet clinics (for instance we have one that just does basic shots and well check for very cheap rates), or even your local shelters may offer some basic services.
Stock up as much as you can during clearance and sales events. I find that between Pet Supplies Plus and Petsmart, one of them will usually have one of the two canned dog food brands I buy (which I use as topping on the dry stuff) for $1 each month. I buy the big cans, and use half for his morning meal, and rest for his evening meal. And if you time it right there’s often a coupon good for $5 off purchase of $25/30/etc, which means its actually less.
By the way for those who read this in time, Petsmart is doing a one day sale Wed 7/3 with some good deals! For those with small animals, they’re going to have the good CareFresh bedding half price!
For vet services, it definitely pays to ask around. When my dog needed a cyst removed, I was given one quote for $800, another for a $1000! I mentioned it at work, and one of my coworkers suggested his vet. While they were a no-frills vet office, they were wonderful people, had a lot of great reviews and it ended up only costing me $200 – since I saved so much I went ahead and had his teeth cleaned too while he was out.
Also check your area for local vet clinics (for instance we have one that just does basic shots and well check for very cheap rates), or even your local shelters may offer some basic services.
I’ve always ordered my dogs Frontline Plus from https://petsuppliesnet.com/index.htm.
I’ve found that they are much cheaper than anywhere else. Shipping is decent. I’ve good service from them via email. I forgot to change my shipping address when we moved a few years back and when I contacted them about not receiving the delivery they fixed it (even though it was my fault) and sent me a replacement. It looks as if the new tenants received a free 3 mths supply thanks to me, but the company sent me the order at no extra cost.
Costco Pharmacy has saved me loads of cash on my dogs prescriptions.
You can also get the Costco Member Prescription Program free, if you’re a member, for your animal too!
Stores that have a mandatory membership to shop are not allowed by law to require a membership to shop pharmacy or liquor stores! There is a slight upcharge if you are not a member but we found that Zonisimide for my 85lb black lab/shepherd mix’s epilepsy was cheapest at Costco.
I go to Publix for cat food. I save up BOGO coupons on canned cat food and then I wait for it to go on sale for 50 cents or less. The BOGO coupon will then double and you get 2 cans free.
Every year around October thru December Petsmart offers a $5 catalina for most bags of Purina dog food. Also during this time Petsmart sends out an email for a “friends and family” discount of 15% off your entire purchase. I usually go crazy and stock up bc this usually gets me almost half off of my dogs brand of dog food.
My two dogs can go through tons of toys. So I always stock up after holidays when petsmart and petco put the holiday toys on massive markdowns. My dogs dont know if they are play with a Christmas toy in July or a Halloween toy in May. This saves me tons of money on the toys. Also one of my dogs loves Nylabones and can go through one in about two weeks. I always part the coupon that comes out once in a while with a sell at petsmart and stock up on the three pack of bones then. Anyone else know how to save on Nylabones?
Our dog has a sensitive stomach so he can only eat dog food with limited ingredients. Thankfully I found a limited ingredient dog food @ Southern States that is WAY cheaper than the brands at Petsmart or Petco. I also have a cat. If I wait for a sale, I can get her cat treats for free – $0.25 a bag, then I stock up. I feed her IAMS cat food which I can usually get on sale @ Target and use a $1 coupon which are frequently in the PG insert. I also make homemade treats for my dog on ocassion – lots of recipes online. I generally get toys when Colin puts out a post about free credit somewhere. Also, I buy the dog marrow bones from the grocery store. I can get 10 lbs. for $14-$15. I wrap each one in aluminum foil and put them in the freezer. I take out 1-2 a week and keep them in the fridge until I am ready to give them to him. He LOVES them. Goes completely nuts when I give him one and they keep his teeth super clean + keep him busy for ages. Much cheaper and healthier than rawhide!
Wow Collin! Thanks for posting my comment above! Glad to see such great response from everyone.
Here are a few more tips for saving…if you live anywhere near Richmond, VA and your pet needs surgery, there is a low cost surgery veterinary practice called Helping Hands. They are very highly rated and offer great rates…It would be worth the drive if you lived in Maryland, DC or North Carolina.
https://www.affordablepetsurgery.com/products.htm
And for those of you with pups who are avid chewers, we purchase elk and deer antlers online from antlerchews.com at wholesale prices. This is cheaper than anything you can buy at the pet store and their shipping rates are reasonable–they only charge you cost.
If you have shedding, itching issues with your dog (may work with a cat too), brew a Neem tea and mix into your dog’s food. The Neem is wonderful for the coat, skin and teeth. My dog’s teeth have zero plaque from the Neem. The Neem softens’ the plaque and can be easily scraped off monthly. I purchase my dried leaves, crushed from my local herbal store for about $3 buck for a large bag. Last forever. I let the tea steep for a long time until dark, store in a reused Barilla Sauce jar in the frig. ** Note: You can pour cooled Neem broth over a “hot” area for instant relief.
Also, if you travel with your pets, don’t pay extra to keep them in your hotel room…try out LaQuinta. They allow pets in the room, no additional charge, and the rooms are clean, large and safe. Join the LaQuinta loyalty program and save money the more that you travel. I love this chain, some of the hotels are super modern, some are older…but all are very pet friendly and offer a free breakfast with self made to order omelets. / A treat I take back to my room for my pups!!!!!
I give my dogs the soup bones from Publix as a treat in lieu of commercial dog treats. I also will boil any leftover chicken bones in a sauce pan to create a broth, which I in turn cool and pour into small plastic containers (such as butter containers with lids) and freeze for a yummy, no additive Summertime treat for my pups. Both treats can get messy, so I serve them outside on the porch or in the kitchen to help insure an easy clean up.