How To Save Money On Pet Supplies

A cat, dog, or another furry critter can add so much joy and love to your home and family. But pets are also an important responsibility – and with that responsibility comes necessary expenses. In addition to basic care items like food, grooming tools, and beds, your pet might need medications, flea and tick preventatives, toys, a collar and leash…and the list goes on.

Fortunately, there are ways to get cheap pet supplies to save on everything you need for your pet each month. From getting discount pet food to saving on vet bills, this guide has everything you need to spend less time worrying about your pet supply budget and more time enjoying your companion.

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How To Save Money On Pet Supplies

You can save money on pet supplies and taking care of your pets in general using the following suggestions. While all of them may not be an option for you, taking advantage of just two or three can still lead to savings.

1. Shop In Bulk To Get Discounts

Similar to deals you find at big-box stores for food and household supplies, you can get bigger packages of pet supplies to save money. While bulk pet supplies will cost you more upfront, you’ll usually save money in the long run. Amazon and Chewy are excellent places to look for bulk discounts on the stuff your pet uses most, like food and cat litter, but you can also try places like Tractor Supply, Rural King, Walmart, and your local grocers and pet supply stores to find deals.

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Specifically, you’ll want to look at the price per pound or price per ounce. Many retailers are good about marking these on their price tags, but sometimes, you may have to calculate it yourself to find the best deal.

For example, let’s say you want to compare two boxes of cat litter. One is 20 pounds and costs $16.99. The other is 50 pounds and costs $35.99. The 50-pound box offers a greater value, costing about 72 cents per pound compared to the 20-pound box’s 85 cents per pound.

Related reading:

• 7 Best Dry Cat Foods For Adult Felines
• 23 Best Senior Dog Food (All Breed Sizes Covered)

2. Shop Through Chewy’s Daily Deals Section

Chewy is the go-to online retailer for discount pet supplies for many pet owners, and if you’re familiar with the site, it’s easy to see why. There are practically endless discounts scattered across the site in almost every category, making it straightforward to save.

Chewy’s daily deals section is the first place you should stop when you visit the site. These deals change frequently and offer discounted items for every type of pet, from cats to horses. Chewy frequently offers free gift cards when you spend a certain amount, like a $30 gift card for a $100 purchase, giving you free cash to use on a future order of pet supplies. You’ll also find deals under $15, toys and snacks for under $5, discounted dry and wet food, and special Autoship order pricing.

3. Set Up Online Subscriptions For Discounts

If you have the opportunity to subscribe to the items your pet uses most for a discount, consider it. Usually, doing so can save you at least a few dollars on pet items that are necessities but can be expensive, like food. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of getting your must-have pet supplies shipped to your door on a schedule you choose without having to remember to order them.

Amazon Subscribe & Save is popular for this. Find your pet’s food or another item you want delivered regularly. If it’s available for Subscribe & Save, Amazon will give you the option to subscribe instead of making a one-time purchase. The more you place on your Subscribe & Save order, the bigger your discount. Orders of five or more items can get a 10% discount.

Chewy has a similar service known as Autoship. You’ll get a hefty initial discount for your first Autoship order and 5% or more off future Autoship orders.

Amazon and Chewy both allow you to manage your subscriptions conveniently through your account, so you can swap products, cancel subscriptions, or change delivery frequencies as often as you’d like.

4. Use Pet Supply Coupons When You Shop

The internet makes it incredibly easy to find coupons to shop with to save money on dog food, cat food, litter, and more. These places offer pet supply coupons to use when you’re ready to shop:

• BeFrugal: Visit BeFrugal, search for the pet supply store where you want to shop and earn cash back on your purchase. The site also includes discounts for select products from your favorite retailers.
• Ibotta: Use the Ibotta app to find deals and rebates for the pet supplies you need to buy at select retailers. Once you upload your receipt, you’ll get cash back into your account.
• PayPal Honey: Add this shopping extension to your web browser to find available coupons for pet supply retailers you shop with online.
• Rakuten: Rakuten partners with more than 3,500 online retailers to offer cashback rewards. Available pet supply stores include Petco, PetSmart, and The Honest Kitchen.
• Swagbucks: Find cashback offers for Chewy, PetCareRx, Open Farm, Ollie Pets, and more at Swagbucks, and earn points to redeem for gift cards or PayPal cash.

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You can also find coupons through specific pet stores, whether you shop online or in person. For example, PetSmart, Petco, and Feeders Pet Supply list multiple deals on their websites. You can also look in your local newspaper for coupon inserts to find coupons for places like Tractor Supply, Rural King, and local pet stores.

5. Always Comparison Shop

It’s common for pet stores and places that sell pet supplies, like Walmart, Amazon, Chewy, Costco, PetSmart, and Petco, to rotate deals on food, toys, treats, and more. Get into the habit of comparison shopping to see what retailer gives you the best deal.

Also, look into price-matching policies. Not all pet supply retailers offer price matching, but those that do will match the price of an identical item that’s cheaper somewhere else. PetSmart and Pet Supermarket have price-matching policies, for example.

6. Join Store Loyalty Programs

If you’re a frequent customer of a pet supply store, consider joining its loyalty program if one is available. They usually offer exclusive discounts, reward points, and other benefits for extra savings.

For example, Petco’s Vital Care membership gives you points back for every purchase, members-only pricing, and every 8th groom free.

You can usually find links to a company’s rewards program in the website’s top menu or footer. Usually, you’ll need to sign up for a free account to access the deals.

7. Check Your Local Pet Pantry If Money Is Tight

Similar to food pantries for humans, some areas have pet pantries to give free pet food and supplies to local pet owners in need. If you’re facing a rough money situation and can’t afford your pet’s food and must-haves, a nearby pet pantry may be able to help.

If you’re not sure where to find one, ask your local shelter. They sometimes help run local pet pantries or know where to find one in or close to your area.

8. Groom Your Pets Yourself

Grooming costs an average of $50 to $60 per session, depending on the size of your dog and the services performed. If your pet visits the groomer each month, that’s $600 to $720 a year, plus tips if you tip your groomer.

You can certainly save money over time by grooming your pet yourself if you feel confident in doing so and have a pet that enjoys grooming. However, you’ll need to buy a few things upfront, like a good set of clippers and scissors, nail clippers, a set of brushes and combs, and shampoo. Expect to pay around $200 to $300 for everything you need to get started, which will pay for itself in a few grooms.

9. Switch To A Cheaper Pet Insurance Company

The average pet insurance for cats is about $30 per month and around $55 per month for dogs. But, like health insurance for people, pricing can vary significantly by company. Consider getting quotes from multiple companies each year to make sure you’re paying a fair price for your pet.

Many companies let you check your rates in just a few minutes through their websites. Lemonade, for example, has an online rate checker and several discounts for pet owners, like 10% off when you bundle policies and 5% off when you pay annually rather than monthly.

10. Create Or Join A Pet Sitting Club

Kenneling your pet can be expensive, especially if you’re going away for a one-week vacation or need routine care for your pet while you work each day. A pet sitting club can come in clutch, allowing you to rotate pet care with other pet owners.

For example, say you’re going out of town this coming weekend and need someone to watch your dog for two days and nights. Instead of booking a kennel, you can ask someone in your pet sitting club to do the job for free. Then, you return the favor to that owner by caring for their car the following weekend for free.

11. Consider A Pet Wellness Plan

A pet wellness plan differs from insurance in that it covers routine care pets usually need, like annual wellness exams and vaccinations. Some veterinarians and pet insurance companies offer these plans for around $30 to $50 a month, which covers your pet’s routine care, potentially saving you hundreds a year.

Plus, these plans can help you keep up with your pet’s wellness needs, which can save a significant amount of money in the long run by catching potential issues early.

12. Ask Your Vet For Free Samples

Many veterinarians have free samples of medications for pets, which they get from pharmaceutical marketers. Vets usually reserve these free samples for pet owners who need help affording their pet’s care. If your veterinarian suggests a medication that you can’t afford right now, ask if they have any free samples to try with your pet first.

Final Thoughts

Saving money on pet supplies is achievable for most pet owners, but it helps to know a few tricks, like those above. Explore alternative shopping methods and take advantage of sales and discounts at places like Chewy, Amazon, and PetSmart. Don’t forget to sign up for any available loyalty programs at the places you shop most, too. You can also lower expenses by alternating pet care with friends and family and comparing pet insurance quotes each year.

With some thoughtful planning, you can provide your furry companion with everything they need while staying within your personal budget.