It’s that time of year again-- the end of it. We are reviewing the year of 2019 and looking ahead and planning for 2020. We review the goals we had for 2019 and ask ourselves, “Did we meet those goals? Where on the scale of accomplishing those goals are we?” Along with our dreams and aspirations for the year, we also have to take a look at budgeting our finances. There are so many things we have to budget for in our lives like household bills, vacations and all the things that go along with raising kids if you have them. I don’t want to add to your plate of responsibility, but I want to encourage you to not forget the pets that are counting on you. Pets are an expensive responsibility and should be taken into consideration when figuring your expenses for the year.
Some things to keep in mind when thinking about pet expenses are:
Food. This is an obvious expense and often the first one to come to mind. Dog and/or cat food can be expensive and, depending on your pet’s diet and size, can cost hundreds of dollars per year to buy.
Medication/supplements. If you have ever had to purchase medication or vitamins and supplements for a pet, you know how expensive those can be. These are things that can be the difference in many veterinary bills and just one or two a year. It is always a good year when you can get by without having to buy these but they can break the bank in some cases if you do.
Veterinary Care. All pets should be checked out by your veterinarian at least once a year. There are vaccinations that should be administered to all animals in your household that keep pets and, in some cases, people safe and healthy. Vaccinations help prevent the spread of disease and if your dog or cat is going to be in any environment where other animals are going to be or have been, it’s a very good idea to keep those up to date.
Emergency Veterinary Care. We don’t like to think about accidents, but they do happen. One accident that requires veterinarian treatment can cost hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of dollars. If we don’t have contingency plans in place before those happen, it can be detrimental to a family living on a budget. Nobody wants to be forced to make a decision on treatment, or no treatment because of financial ill-planning.
Parasite Treatment (flea/tick/heartworms,…etc.). There are so many different kinds of parasite treatments out there in today’s modern society, that there really isn’t a very good excuse to have problems with these miserable pests on our animals anymore. The treatments do cost money though but if they are figured into your budget then your fur kids shouldn’t have to suffer with these little buggers. The treatments are readily available when you need them.
Grooming/ Boarding/Daycare. This kind of expense can sneak up on you if you aren’t thinking of it. Taking care of a pet’s skin and hair on a 4- or 6-week basis can be rather costly. Also, don’t forget to plan for accommodations for your fur kids when you have to be out of town for work or vacations.
Miscellaneous expenses. While the above will take care of the bulk of the expenses, there are still other things to factor in to owning a pet. There are things like, repairing fences, yards and flowerbeds from those little escape artists and mole chasers that we have. There are also things like toy and bedding replacement throughout the year along with leashes and collars and any outdoor activity items you want your pet to have.
This list might not be exhaustive; there are always things that come up in life that we haven’t thought of, so it is always a good idea to “pad” the budget for those items. It’s difficult to know about all of the expenses in our lives but when different things around pet care come up, life is much less stressful knowing the funds are there to cover things.
Have fun and stay safe with the pets in your life this year. Make 2020 full of adventure for you and your best four-legged buddy!