By Gurvir Dhindsa, Good Day Atlanta anchor - bio | email
ATLANTA -
Food, medicine, and everything else that goes into caring for your beloved pets can really take a bite out of your budget. Pet expert Charlotte Reed has some suggestions when it comes to saving some cash.
Two of the biggest expenses are food, and if you're a cat owner -- litter. To save on your expenses, start by figuring out just how much you go through every month, and put it in your budget.
"Instead of jumping in the car, have it auto-shipped to you," advised Reed.
Shopping around for a great price online, and getting it sent right to your door, saves time and money over running to the store and grabbing whatever's on the shelf. Discounts also offer a great way to save money.
"Because you're doing auto-ship you'll get 15 percent off. So, you can get a 30 pound bag for 30 percent off and that's one great savings," said Reed.
The next biggest expense is medicine. Reed says a group called Advocacy for Pets and Affordable Wellness recommends getting a prescription from your vet for your pet medications.
"Sometimes the prescriptions can be filled cheaper at a Walmart or a Target or a Costco," said Reed.
On APAW's website, there are people who say they save $11, $43, even $73 a month by doing it.
To save money on flea and tick treatments, trying generic brands may help. "You can also purchase that at your local pharmacy, Kmart, a Walmart, and because it's so affordable, you're not going to be discouraged to treat your pet throughout the year," Reed said.
If you are in need of a crate or carrier, finding these on ebay and Craigslist could save you plenty of money.
