Ideas for Saving Money on Pet Products & Services
Rebecca West
Searching for ways to cut corners and save money on family pets without compromising on quality or endangering them? Join the club! For the month of December, while everyone is trying to figure out how to pull off Christmas and still meet their routine obligations, we'll provide you with some money-saving tips to help you get by.
Local Feed Stores
If you're a city dweller, this may not apply to you, but local feed stores have been your rural counterpart's go-to source for relatively inexpensive pet supplies for decades. A lot of people assume they just deal with items surrounding farm animals or horses, but most of them carry foods and products for family pets, too.
In addition to discounted prices as compared to pet stores, the majority of their staff are usually well-versed in basic animal care. They can assist you with recommendations on products and even measurements for dosage by weight if you're treating an animal for something. Feed stores also carry syringes for oral and subdermal applications and deworming supplies.
Tractor Supply Co.
Somewhere between a big-box pet supply store and a local feed store, Tractor Supply Companies are everywhere now, and you've likely got one close by. If you're unfamiliar, as a pet owner you might want to acquaint yourself with them. They carry pet foods, grooming products, beds, cages, pens, shredded bedding materials, salt licks, veterinary supplies, and more. These stores have all of the basics you’ll need for your critters.
As an added bonus, TSC also offers PetVet, which provides quality wellness and preventative veterinary care for dogs and cats through community walk-in clinics hosted at their stores. Services and products include vaccines for dogs and cats, pet microchipping, standard blood and fecal testing, prescription flea, and tick control, deworming, and heartworm prevention.
Ross, Marshall's, TJ Maxx
Discounts stores you might not normally associate with pets may surprise you. Sure, the above-mentioned chains carry tons of half-price fashions and inexpensive home decor items, but you can often find super cute products for dogs or cats there as well. It could be bowls, beds, toys, collars, leashes and harnesses, costumes, or cute sweaters to keep them snuggly warm, but they're worth a try, especially if you're into designer looks.
Apps & Social Media for Pet Supplies
Another place to try is Facebook Marketplace for new and used pet supplies for sale near you or even the app OfferUp. People are always looking to buy, sell, or trade, and you could be one of them. Craigslist is another idea, and they even have a free stuff category that's always worth a peruse in addition to their pet section.
Thrift & Secondhand Stores
Another spot that might surprise you is a thrift or secondhand store. Some of them directly benefit animal shelters and rescues, so they're often receiving donations of pet food or pet supplies. Even those that don't frequently get pet beds or cat towers and scratching posts in. So, before you despair, there are a lot more options open to you than you think.
