Saving Money on Pet Supplies

Kita with his Christmas Gift

Pet supplies are expensive, but when you love your pets as much as we do, you can't help but spoil them. These are some techniques that we use to keep our pet supply costs down.

Post-Holiday shopping: Just like clothing goes on sale at the end of a season, pet supplies are marked down a lot right after the holidays.  Stock up on toys for the following year right after your favorite holidays and hide the presents for your pets or the pets of family and friends until the following year.

Make sure that you sign up for rewards cards at your favorite stores and register them online. Also, sign up for email updates to find out about upcoming sales and clearances, as well as to find out when there are free or discounted shipping deals.  Add items that you need often to your "shopping carts" online at stores like Petsmart and Amazon.  Then wait until the items go on sale to buy them.  Amazon - Up to 50% Off in Pet Supplies Markdowns

If you have picky pets, be sure to ask the pet store clerks if they have free samples of pet food that you can try out or whether they have an option of returning food that has been opened if your pets do not like it.  Many pet stores will offer one or both of these options, but they are rarely advertised.

Look for pet coupons in your newspapers and mail and ask your friends and family members to clip coupons for you of the items that you buy most often.  This can save you a lot of money if you buy common brands of pet food and treats.  Some stores have coupon books that they will give out or sell for a low cost.  A great example is the new puppy coupon book sold at Petsmart for $20.  The coupon savings in that book far exceed the costs and include discounts on pet supplies and visits to the vet, pets hotel and grooming salon.  Get Pets Coupons for Amazon.

Most importantly, make sure that you are feeding your pets healthy food made by trustworthy companies.  Chicken jerky treats can be particularly dangerous for dogs and sometimes food and treats from China cause pet deaths.  Sign up for alerts from the FDA on recalls, and if you aren't sure about a product, research it online before buying it.  Losing a pet is devastating enough without realizing that it was due to feeding them food that you thought was safe.