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How to Save Money on Dog Food

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Owning a dog can be expensive. One of the most obvious ways to save money is on reducing your pet food bills. But how can you do that?

Fortunately, as someone who spent several years working in the pet industry I’m ideally placed to share some practical tips on how to save money on dog food. Let’s get going!

Give Up Wet Foods

Wet dog foods often look quite cheap. Consider the cost of a small tin of dog food versus a big bag of dried kibble and it’s easy to be fooled into thinking that wet food is better value. Sadly, that often isn’t really the case.

The first thing to realize is that when you buy a tin of dog food part of what you’re paying for is the moisture content of the food. You’re literally buying water. This means that your dog needs to eat more wet food than dry food to achieve the same nutrient intake.

The best way to make a fair comparison is to stop comparing the obvious cost of these two types of dog food, and instead to compare the price-per-meal, or the cost of feeding each food per day. In most cases a dry food actually works out much cheaper per meal than a wet food. Over the course of time, this can really add up, helping you to save money.

Go Super Premium

By now you’ve probably done your comparison, and realized that dry kibble really can be considerably cheaper. But there’s another decision to consider; cheap dry kibble versus super premium foods.

Once again, at face value super premium foods can seem incredibly expensive. Compare two equally sized sacks and the choice is obvious. Or is it? Once again, we need to go back to the “cost per day” of each food. Cheap dog foods are often kept cheap because they’re filled with poor quality, low nutrient ingredients. This means you may need to feed more of them.

Super premium dry food, in contrast, often uses high quality, nutrient-dense ingredients like meat and rice. So do your comparison; in many cases buying the “expensive” food can actually work out quite a bit cheaper over the long term.

And while we’re on the topic of “long term” it may also be worth considering what these different foods are doing for the health of your pet. A higher quality food, even if slightly more expensive in the pet store, may still work out cheaper over the long term if it keeps your dog fit and healthy. Saving money on pet food, only to overspend on vets bills probably isn’t the smartest financial move.

Make Your Own

Dog food doesn’t have to come in a can or a bag. You can also make your own at home. The internet is awash with dog food recipes and ideas, like the BARF diet. Try doing some calculations to see if creating your own dog food would work out more cost effective.

The one caution I would make is to follow the guidance of a reputable source. You’ll want to be confident that any recipe you follow offers your pet a complete and balanced diet, with all the right nutrients levels.

As a compromise, another money saving idea is to continue with shop-bought dog foods but to make your own treats instead. Dog treats can be ridiculously expensive, so making your own can save you lots of money. In addition, because they’re only fed occasionally you don’t need to worry quite as much about the optimal nutrient balance.

Buy in Bulk

In most cases you’ll save money when you buy a larger bag of dog food. I know that dropping money on the biggest bag of food available may be painful at the time, but it can still work out cheaper.

For ease, consider looking online to make price comparisons easier. Work out the price-per-kg or price-per-100g between different pack sizes and select the one that offers you the very best value.

Look for Deals

Just like the savings, discounts and coupons offered on your own groceries, it is not unusual for dog food to go on sale from time to time. So don’t just accept the price in your local pet store; instead be willing to shop around, and look online for better deals.

If you’re truly passionate about your pet then going to dog shows can also be a great way to save money as well as enjoying a great day out. Many of the pet food manufacturers have stalls at these shows, and will often have a “show special” on some of their products. Come with cash in hand to grab any bargains you identify.

Invest in Pet Insurance

I’ll admit that the link between pet insurance and dog food isn’t immediately clear, but stick with me for a moment. Have you ever looked at the prices of specialist, veterinary dog foods? They’re enough to make your eyes water. Feeding those foods can leave a serious dent in your wallet.

Assuming your dog is currently in good health, it might be wise to invest in a good quality pet insurance plan. Doing so can help to ensure your dog gets the best possible medical care (hopefully avoiding these expensive foods in the future) or may even contribute to the cost of buying such foods.

How to save money on dog food. Pets can be expensive but there are frugal ways to spend less each month. Here are some proven tips for how I spend less on dog food than the average pet owner.

Richard

Sun-worshipper and obsessive frugality blogger. For loads more money-saving advice come and join us on Facebook.

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