Reducing Pet Costs: How to Save Money on Pet Food
I just got my very first pet four months ago; a pregnant tabby me and my partner, Grace, rescued from the roof adjacent to our apartment. Soon after, she had kittens and we ended up keeping one- his picture is to the right. Having never had a pet as a child (my parents are very, very neat people), I knew this would be a huge emotional investment for me, but what I didn’t realize is how much of a financial investment it would be as well.
Pets, in addition to being invaluable emotional support, proven stress reduction and overall adorableness, cost money. And if you believe the media portrayals, we as queer people are particularly lavish with our pets, treating them to fancy hotel stays (Best in Show) and acupuncture (Flipping Out). Like Paula said “Pets are our furry children”. Of course, having a pet doesn’t have to break the bank, so let’s talk about some ways to save money while still being the best pet owners we can be. And if you’re still in the process of considering the financial implications of owning a pet, please read Nina’s post “Are Pets Worth the Price?” I’ve already said yes to that question and so in the next couple weeks I’ll be posting a series of topics on saving money on pet expenses, starting with food.
The biggest recurring cost of pets is, naturally, their food. And in this economic climate, when we are cutting or curbing many of our expenses, we may be thinking about reducing this cost as well. After all, a can of cat food can range from 40 cents to $1.50, so there is a lot of wiggle room. There is also a very wide range of quality when it comes to pet food and just as many theories about the merits of various diets. While we all want to save money, we can also all agree that no one wants to make their pets ill by feeding them tainted food. So my first suggestion is to make sure you check The Pet Food List before you buy any food for your pet; this list compiles information about various pet food brands and their level of involvement in the recent recalls. Of course, as they say themselves, you should only use it as a starting point for your research if you are unsure about a particular brand.
1. Check The Pet Food List before buying any food to ensure safety
2. Pay attention to caloric density; some brands may be cheaper, but require more food
Last time I was at the vet, they alerted me to the fact that different brands may vary in density, meaning your pet may need to eat more or less for the same amount of nutrients. They called this caloric density and compared it to the difference between a rice cake and a protein bar. Be sure to check this; you might be saving buying cheaper food, but you might have to give your pet more of it. On the flip side, you may be able to save some bucks if you’re already buying premium food; you may currently be feeding your pet more than necessary. Take a look at breakdown on the packaging for more information.
3. Consider making your own food, or supplementing store-bought food
If you actually crunch the numbers, feeding your pets home-made food is the cheapest way to go. You are not paying for packaging and are in complete control of the quality and quantities of the ingredients. So why don’t we all do it? It takes time, careful research, planning, and a willingness to open a cookbook to something called “Liver Delight.” My upstairs neighbors have a large pitbull/bulldog mix and make all their own food for her because she has such terrible allergies. They also both work from home. If you are like me and have some liver you bought six months ago in your freezer and the book “The Whole Pet Diet” sitting guilty on your shelf, consider some easier options, like making food once a month, or once a season.
4. Buy your pet food in bulk quantities
Buying in bulk is a great way to reduce costs if you know you will continually be using something. However, make sure you know your pets will continually eat that particular food; my cats are picky and won’t eat the same flavor of cat food more than a couple times in a row. No one told them that beggars can’t be choosers. Also, places like Sam’s Club and Costco have membership fees, so make sure you know that your savings will offset those fees. Other places, like local pet stores, or my food co-op, will offer to order you a case of food and charge you near wholesale prices- this amounts to a great deal!
5. Comparison shop: Look at ingredients and prices
As with almost every purchase, comparing products and prices is a smart move. Especially with pet food and the large range of prices out there, it is easy to correlate quality with price. This may or may not be the case, and it is possible to find inexpensive, high quality food if you do some research. The Organic Pages is great place to start comparing different products, and I’m sure a quick internet search of the pet stores in your area will turn up varying prices for the same product. One quick note before you jet off to the store to pick up that amazing deal- call ahead to verify they have the food in stock and it is exactly what you saw online.
6. Look online for steep discounts and free shipping
If you are diligent comparison shopper, you will notice that often times you can find great deals online that you cannot find in stores. And if you are committed to buying in bulk, many places will waive the shipping charge for a minimum purchase. The downside of this is that you may not have the opportunity to allow your pets to try the food before purchase, although some companies will mail you a small sample, especially if it is dry food. PetNetDirect and PetFoodDirect are good places to start, as is PetSuppliesGuide.
7. Use manufacturer coupons
My cats really love one particular brand and I think it’s great nutritionally, but it’s a little expensive. In the predicament where you’re pretty wedded to one brand or type, consider contacting the manufacturer to inquire about frequent buyer coupons. Often if you buy straight from the manufacturer, they will offer discounts or membership to their newsletter, which in turn can alert you of deals, special offers, and discounts.
8. Join the club at your local store
Most big pet store chains have frequent buyer clubs that offer select items for less or special promotions. Some of the biggest ones, like Pet Co. and PetSmart even have cash back rewards on certain purchases, which is a great, and easy, way to start saving.
I’m pretty new to this pet food thing, and finding it to be very confusing at times. Do any of you more seasoned pet owners have any tips or tricks for saving money on pet food? What are some of your recommendations for recipe books, online guides or pet food stores? Does anyone cook for their pet and have any tips for the rest of us? Please comment!
And for more pictures of my cats and the whole rescue story, see my blog.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Well my “child” just turned 26.(Parrot)
Just paid more than $10 ($10.49)for the first time for a five pound bag of the special safflower blend seed he gets.
As you were pointing out about caloric density this blend is more the “protein bar” than “rice cake” version of the blends available and the bag will last roughly 4 to 5 weeks.
Of course there are his treats…Dried Chili Peppers from the Mexican Market (most parrots LOVE them…mine eats any in his food before touching anything else) and Extra In-Shell Peanuts.
But he’s my baby…}:~D.
~ Roland
P.S. Never lets a Parrot kiss you after he’s eaten a Chili Pepper unless you happen to like Hot Stuff.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I wish I knew less about dog food. I would never buy anything at the grocery store, or anything that passes out coupons for that matter. I don’t cut costs by feeding my defenseless pup feathers and mystery meat.
I buy a particular, self-regulating brand of dog food that I can only get at the feed store outside the city. Yep, the feed store. I go every other month. I bet you have one too. Just call and ask what they have. My dog’s food, when bought in bulk, is as cheap as grocery store food.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Ugh, I wish I could find a way to get cheaper food for my cats. Unfortunately, they seem to have very sensitive tummies, and the *only* food we’ve found that doesn’t make them violently ill (after testing many, many brands/varieties) is one of those Hills special foods you can only buy from a veterinarian. Has anyone had any luck with finding “prescription” food online?
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:14 am
I’m not a pet “parent” and don’t know anything about pet food except all the scary stuff from the news last summer.
But, I wanted to let people know that Laura, of Embrace Pet Insurance, is a super-friendly great ally of the queer community. I have no idea whether or not pet insurance is worth it, but my sister swears by it. Laura is also a blogger: http://blog.embracepetinsurance.com/
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I agree that everyone should read the ingredients label on their pets’ foods. But, what do you do when the food is mislabeled? I recently purchased a 33lb bag of Timberwolf Ocean Blue kibble (my dog has many food allergies), this bag cost me almost $80.00. The label listed fish oil as an ingredient. I thought this was safe, however after I ordered it I found that some of the sites selling this food listed chicken fat as an ingredient (my dog is allergic to chicken). I contacted the company and was told that some of their labels had been misprinted. Well MANY of their labels were misprinted because every site I visited that sold their food listed fish oil.
More research, I later found that the company had been accused of mislabeling on purpose. (Not sure of what came of this).
These dog food companies are still at it. Until now, I had not heard any negative press about Timberwolf.
All I’m saying is just be careful. Because apparently none of them can be trusted.
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Hi Becky,
I dont know of any place to buy prescription online, but have you tried Innova EVO Cat and Kitten ? I ask because I too use to use Hills prescription but tried this and my kitty is doing great on it. Its grain free .. a bit pricy, but well worth it.
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:32 am
I don’t know much about cat food, since my son is allergic to cats, but we do have dogs. Our dogs now eat Canidae brand dog food. They have allergies. It is a little more expensive than the grocery store brands, but it is healthier for them, grain free, and they really like it. I would never go back to the grocery story brands even to save a little money. You can check with the manufacturers, sometimes they have a club program for buyers of their food. We buy Merrick canned food, and I kno Merrick has a club program. Unfortunately, it’s still cheaper to buy the food at the local pet store. Personally, I think buying high quality food saves money in the long run. I haven’t had to take my dog to the vet for allergy issues, stomach problems or other problems since we switched. He also doesn’t eat as much, so a bag of food lasts longer.
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:26 am
FrugalZen: I didn’t realize parrots like hot peppers! That is very, very cute. As for the increased price for his sunflower seeds, do you think this was an inflation related increase?
dogatemyfinance: I’m sure readers would love to know more about feed stores; could you tell us more about them? I’m mixing grocery store brands with frozen raw food now, but my cats seem to prefer the grocery store food…there’s no account for taste it seems.
becky: catluver seems to have great advice for you! it seems like when it comes to our pets, we will spare no expense, and i think that’s a good thing. one of my friends fed her cat sashimi when he was really sick and would not eat anything else. it precipitated a dramatic turnaround and now he’s fine.
Liza: I’ll be doing a post on pet health care costs and we’ll cover insurance. I’ll make sure to include Embrace Pet Insurance on the list.
Alextom: That scares me too. I didn’t realize how deeply untrustworthy pet food can be. As as good pet parents, we rely on the labels to give us the best information we can. Thanks for informing us of the potential of this- I guess the rule is just to double and triple check if your pet is particularly sensitive or allergic to something.
Vicki: Great comment. Most of us would agree I think. I like to say that since I can’t send my cats to a good college, the least I can do is give them good food.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:28 am
I just wish my 2 weren’t on prescription food..then I could actually try to save money!
Love the picture of your cutie
April 14th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
[...] pet food is the most often recurring cost associated with pets, pet medical care may well be the most expensive. When me and my partner rescued Francie from the [...]
July 17th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
[...] taken from each post and applied to my own life.In the first post of this series, we talked about saving money on pet food. Since writing the post, Grace and I have only bought our pet food in bulk. In addition, a quick [...]
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:21 am
I buy my pet food online at petfooder.com, great prices for bulk quantities and shipping is free for orders over $25. They have practically every brand of food you can imagine, including the Innova I feed my dog and cat, which I previously couldn’t find in bulk.