The pleasure of owning a pet comes with a hefty expense. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home says annual bills for a dog can hit £2,000 and £1,500 for a cat. So what can be done to cut the cost?

We have a cat and a dog, which has always been chaotic. But now, with inflation still biting, the cost of keeping them is a further drain on our finances.

Pet owners have seen the price of animal feed increase alongside the rising cost of groceries for us humans. Vet appointments are pricey, and most animals need regular worming and flea treatments that can be expensive.

But it is possible to be canny with your care costs, without any negative impact on your furry friends.

We have a cat and a dog, which has always been chaotic. But now, with inflation still biting, the cost of keeping them is a further drain on our finances. But it is possible to be canny with your care costs, without any negative impact on your furry friends (stock photo)

We have a cat and a dog, which has always been chaotic. But now, with inflation still biting, the cost of keeping them is a further drain on our finances. But it is possible to be canny with your care costs, without any negative impact on your furry friends (stock photo)

We have a cat and a dog, which has always been chaotic. But now, with inflation still biting, the cost of keeping them is a further drain on our finances. But it is possible to be canny with your care costs, without any negative impact on your furry friends (stock photo)

VET COSTS

Vets recommend regular worming treatments for both cats and dogs to protect them from parasites — and the cost adds up.

Thankfully, that cost is now absorbed in the monthly pet health plan I have for my cockapoo, Buddy, and Georgie the cat via our local veterinary practice.

For £16.99 a month for Georgie, and £17.99 a month for Buddy, they get an annual check-up, all their vaccinations, worming and flea treatments, plus one free annual appointment with a vet if they become ill.

I now save around 60 per cent on my annual preventative health care costs — that’s £250 a year.

You can also get them for rabbits, and some practices also offer discounts for owners who are over-60 and those on low incomes.

FOOD

Bulk-buying makes a huge difference to pet food bills. My dog, Buddy, a four-year-old cockapoo, has a sensitive tummy and eats vet-approved kibble, which I buy in 14kg bags and, depending on where I buy it, often works out at half the price of smaller packs. Across the year, this saves me at least £100.

When we’re running low, I price check which pet retailer is selling the food the cheapest and buy it there. I do the same with cat food.

I’ve also stopped spending so much on treats — Buddy was getting through a bag a week (costing anything from £2 to £5 a week depending on their health claims) — which is good for my purse and for my pets.

Overfeeding your animals can lead to unnecessary weight gain, which can be a trigger for potentially avoidable health problems — which in turn may require treatment (and vets’ bills).

Vets recommend regular worming treatments for both cats and dogs to protect them from parasites ¿ and the cost adds up. Thankfully, that cost is now absorbed in the monthly pet health plan (stock photo)

Vets recommend regular worming treatments for both cats and dogs to protect them from parasites ¿ and the cost adds up. Thankfully, that cost is now absorbed in the monthly pet health plan (stock photo)

Vets recommend regular worming treatments for both cats and dogs to protect them from parasites — and the cost adds up. Thankfully, that cost is now absorbed in the monthly pet health plan (stock photo)

Bulk-buying makes a huge difference to pet food bills. When we¿re running low, I price check which pet retailer is selling the food the cheapest and buy it there. I do the same with cat food. I¿ve also stopped spending so much on treats (stock photo)

Bulk-buying makes a huge difference to pet food bills. When we¿re running low, I price check which pet retailer is selling the food the cheapest and buy it there. I do the same with cat food. I¿ve also stopped spending so much on treats (stock photo)

Bulk-buying makes a huge difference to pet food bills. When we’re running low, I price check which pet retailer is selling the food the cheapest and buy it there. I do the same with cat food. I’ve also stopped spending so much on treats (stock photo)

PRESCRIPTIONS

You can sometimes save money on medication by asking your vet for a written prescription that you then use to purchase at an online animal pharmacy. You’ll still have to pay for the prescription, but it often works out cheaper. Don’t be tempted to save money by using human medicines to treat your pet — animals metabolise medication differently from us, and you could make them really poorly.

SHOP SECOND-HAND

Your dog isn’t bothered by how much you paid for his new coat. Cats couldn’t care less where you got their bed — they’d rather sleep in a box.

Check out your local charity shop for second-hand bargains, as well as resale sites such as eBay and Vinted, where you can pick up good quality pet accessories for a much reduced cost.

I recently bought Buddy a new jacket on Vinted, which still had the label attached. It would have cost me £25 retail price — I paid a fiver for it.

Check out your local charity shop for second-hand bargains, as well as resale sites such as eBay and Vinted, to pick up good quality pet accessories for a reduced cost (stock photo)

Check out your local charity shop for second-hand bargains, as well as resale sites such as eBay and Vinted, to pick up good quality pet accessories for a reduced cost (stock photo)

Check out your local charity shop for second-hand bargains, as well as resale sites such as eBay and Vinted, to pick up good quality pet accessories for a reduced cost (stock photo)

DIY DOG TOY

Stimulating toys can play an important role in keeping your dog occupied. This home-made dog toy keeps my boy busy for up to an hour.

  1. Grab yourself a large empty cardboard box.
  2. Fill it with shredded or scrunched-up newspaper, magazine pages or any old toilet rolls you may have lying around. Mix it all together. Pop some treats inside an empty egg tray and bury this in the middle of the box. Scatter treats in the rest of the box.
  3. Loosely close the box and let your dog investigate — he’ll have a great time digging out those treats. 

How to prune the cost of gardening 

Gardening is good for body and soul, and can be enjoyed on a tight budget. Here’s how to save money while keeping your garden blooming.

Hold back on the autumn tidy up

Instead of ripping out annuals such as cosmos, antirrhinum and calendula, leave the plants in place long enough to drop their seed. The autumn winds will scatter them around your garden, so you can enjoy nature’s free gifts in the form of fresh blooms next summer.

Hang fire on bulb buying

It’s tempting to buy autumn planting bulbs now — when they’re being advertised in garden centres — but most can go into the ground as late as December. So hold your nerve and get yours when they go on sale in a couple of months’ time, often for half the price.

Collect your own seeds

One of the best ways to save money is to collect seeds from the plants you already have. Be patient. They need to develop into dried husks before you harvest them, otherwise they won’t germinate. Then keep them in paper envelopes in a dry place ready to sow in the spring. Indoors is fine.

If you’re storing them in a garage or garden shed, avoid damp spoiling them by putting the envelope inside a tin.

Swap seeds with gardening friends to try new varieties for free.

Gardening is good for body and soul, and can be enjoyed on a tight budget (stock photo)

Gardening is good for body and soul, and can be enjoyed on a tight budget (stock photo)

Gardening is good for body and soul, and can be enjoyed on a tight budget (stock photo)

Don’t chuck plants — they may just need resting…

Perennials often look like they’ve died over winter but, often, they’re just dormant, biding their time underneath the soil until the temperatures start to rise again. Then they will come back to life, sending up new shoots from their roots. So instead of chucking them on the compost, leave them to rest. Not all will survive especially harsh winters — but at least give them a chance and save yourself money on replacements.

Reconditioned compost

Compost has rocketed in price, so don’t waste what’s left in your containers and planters once you’ve pulled out your summer displays. Use it as mulch around any plants you want to protect over winter. And if you mix it with fresh nutrients, such as chicken manure pellets or liquid seaweed, it makes a good soil conditioner on your flower beds.

Seven savings tips for students 

Going to university often means budgeting for the first time. Here are seven ways to stretch your student loan that bit further.

  1. Academic books are notoriously expensive and there usually aren’t enough library copies of key texts you’ll need for your course.
  2. Some might be available online. However, if you do have to buy your own copies, look into buying second-hand from students who have already graduated. Your university student council will point you in the right direction.
  3. If you’ve paid off your mobile phone handset, it’s often cheaper to go on to a SIM-only deal. Shop around online, then ask your current provider if they can price match — or beat — what’s on offer elsewhere.
  4. Most university students with an academic email address can access Microsoft Office for free. Enter your email on the Office website. If you’re eligible — most are — you’ll be redirected to a page where you can download the software.
  5. Banks offer great free overdraft deals for students, in the hope they’ll become lifelong customers. Right now Santander is offering a £1,500, 0 per cent overdraft plus a free four-year student railcard. HSBC offers up to £3,000 on a 0 per cent overdraft plus £100 free cash paid into your account. Remember though, your overdraft is there for cash-flow emergencies, not day-to-day spending that could create problems after you graduate and interest starts being applied. Rates normally go up after an agreed time period post-graduation, which varies between banks.
  6. Anyone using BBC iPlayer, even just on catch-up, needs a TV licence. But a loophole allows students to avoid this as long as their parents have a licence and they live with them during the holidays. But whatever device you use cannot be plugged into an aerial or a mains socket at the time as the licence only extends to you if you use a portable device. So keep your laptop charged up and you can watch TV for free.
  7. Get paid to drink. Students aged 18 or 19 can sign up with Serve Legal as mystery shoppers to check whether establishments licensed to sell alcohol ask for ID. If accepted, you can get paid up to £20 per visit, plus expenses — which means free drinks, too!

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk

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