How to Create a Pet-Friendly Budget

Even the smallest critter can do big damage to your budget. You’ve planned the month down to the last dime when you remember Fluffy needs a vaccination. Fido needs an emergency trip to the veterinarian for a torn paw. Jake tore a hole in his leash, and now you need another. Pets don’t quite understand the whole idea of keeping a budget and making sacrifices. They need what they need, and they often can’t be persuaded to wait. That doesn’t mean you must let your animals run roughshod over your budget. With a little planning, you can amend your budget to keep your pet’s needs met.

The Basics

These items are a must for any budget:

• Pet Food. Creating a line item for your pet’s food expenses is relatively easy. Look over your pet store receipts to determine how much you spent on pet food in the previous month, and use that for budgeting purposes. Remember to include treats in this category.
• Pet Supplies. Bowls, leashes, toys and beds all don’t last forever. If your pet is particularly hard on his belongings, they may not last long at all. Make a list of all of the breakables your pet uses, and how much those items cost. Take an average of the costs and write that figure in your budget each month.  You’ll have the funds to replace one item each month.
• Pet Waste. Cat litter can be incredibly expensive. It can be even more expensive to repair your home if you don’t change the litter often. Determine how much you spend on litter each month, and write that figure into the budget. Include costs for cat box liners and carbon filters, if you use those items. If you have a dog, you’re not totally out of the woods as you’ll need to buy bags to pick up dog waste. Make sure to include those costs in your budget.
• Grooming. Some pets require periodic trips to the beauty parlor for haircuts and baths. Other pets can be bathed at home, but you still must buy bathing supplies to do the job right. These hidden costs could turn into big problems, so make sure to include them in your monthly budget.

Other items might be less frequently used, but they are no less important:

• Training. It might sound counterintuitive, but paying for dog training could save you money in the long run. Dogs that are well behaved and obedient are less likely to ruin their toys and your home. They’re also less likely to bark endlessly, which might mean your landlord won’t be tempted to force you out of your apartment. Training classes are usually held for a period of six to eight weeks. Schedule your class during the spring, when you’re not saving up for school supplies or holiday gifts.
• Holiday Care. When you head out of town, whether for business or for pleasure, your pets often must stay behind. Both dogs and cats can be placed in kennels, or you can hire a sitter to watch the animals for you. If you travel frequently for business, this may be a monthly expense you must budget for. If you only travel on occasion, this cost can slide into your holiday budget.

Veterinary Care

Annual exams and vaccines are easy to plan for, as long as you keep track of the dates they’re due. Emergency care can be slightly more challenging.

Some pet owners choose to keep savings accounts expressly for their pets, setting aside a certain amount of money each month to cover medical emergencies. This can be a great way to save and gain interest, but if your pet has a severe medical problem, you may not have enough saved.

Other pet owners choose to purchase pet insurance, so they can budget one cost per month for medical care. Read the policies carefully, however, as some policies don’t cover all medical conditions. You may be asked to pay out of your own pocket for medical problems, even though you’ve paid your premiums on time.

Photo courtesy of www.dionjean.blogspot.com