Getting a new pet is a financial investment, and that’s what many people fail to consider before deciding to adopt a dog, a cat, or before they buy a reptile or a rodent. Of course, the costs of caring for a larger animal like a dog are higher. In this article, we’ll talk about several expenses you will have to keep in mind before deciding to commit to taking care of an animal.
Annual expenses
The food you’re going to purchase for a dog would cost about one hundred and twenty dollars per year. The annual medical exams are a bit more expensive than that, and you’d have to take about two hundred and fifty out of your wallet to make sure that the health of your Fido is on par. Treats can cost about fifty bucks, and if you want to get pet insurance to rest assured that an unexpected expense in the lines of thousands of dollars doesn’t happen, it will cost you about two hundred and fifty, as well.
Cats are slightly more expensive to take care of compared to dogs. Although the annual checkups might cost up to one hundred and fifty dollars, you’re going to spend more on their food. As you know, domesticated felines can be pretty picky when it comes to their nutrition, so you’ll have to pay about one hundred and fifty on food alone.
Based on some resources we have checked out, you’re going to spend about seven hundred dollars per year on caring for a dog or a cat.
What about hamsters?
Hamsters are quite popular because they are small, they can be kept in a cage, and they make little to no mess. They’re also rather easy to care for as you don’t have to take them outside for a walk at 5 in the morning before you go to work. If you want to get a reliable cage and you want to opt for one of the popular choices available out there, it will cost you up to one hundred and fifty dollars.
Sure, there are alternatives that can cost just fifty dollars, but keep in mind that you need to get one that can last you for at least two years, the maximum lifespan of such a critter. The food costs very little, and you’ll spend up to ten dollars per month to ensure you provide the right nutrients to the hamster. The same goes for the bedding and wood shavings.
A trip to the vet might cost you around seventy to one hundred dollars depending on whether it’s a checkup or treatment for a medical condition.
What can you do to save money?
We wouldn’t recommend choosing cheaper food for the obvious reasons, meaning that it might not be the same quality as the more expensive one. What you can do, however, is to get pet insurance so that the world doesn’t come tumbling down and you’re left without any savings when you have to take your pet to the vet’s office for a medical condition.
Get food, bedding, and anything else in bulk. This might be able to save you up to fifty dollars per year.
