Are they worth the money? Are children worth the money? Pets are a financial drain, but at this point so is my upside down house. I woudn't dream of getting rid of either. My dogs keep me from going out too often. I guess that saves money. I can't really talk too much about cost savings as the no grain and low grain food they are on costs $80 a month between all 3. Ulltimately, I would say that pets are worth it. If someone is on a tight budget or is not willing to spend the money to take care of an animal properly I would recommend against ownership. I know too many people who can't take care of themselves with animals they are also incapable of caring for.
I am a much bigger fan of the local restaurant not only for all the reasons above, but also because they pay more attention to your special requests (I have a dairy allergy). I have had one too many problems with chains saying stuff contains no dairy or that they will cook something different and they get it wrong. The chains just don't care like the small mom and pop do! Plus I like when the smaller restaurant's use local food!
As with anything it's more opportunity cost. I love my pet! She's a member of the family. And I can afford to feed her, pay her doctor bills and make sure she's safe when we're away.
If it were a matter of giving up the same things for my kids, well, we wouldn't have a dog.
But she's certainly more fun than a dinner out or the occassional weekend away. Pets are an AMAZING value for quality of life compared to what they cost - if you can possibly afford it - get one!
I think pets are definitely worth it. They are relaxing and soothing to people and can calm anyone down. Pets teach kids responsibility and empathy.
We save money on pets by watching for sales and coupons on the food we use and stocking up then. We don't buy a lot of treats or toys. We use old blankets for dog bedding that I buy at garage sales for very cheap. We use a high quality litter for our rabbit so that we don't have to use as much. Then we buy a larger bag of it that is less per lb than a smaller bag.
My pups are worth every penny. What I've given them pales to the happiness and companionship they have given me. Not to mention how much I have grown and learned about me by teaching them.
I always had to have everything new for years. However when I become unemployed and finding work was so difficult I realised that I just couldn't afford the things I used to be able to. It was hard. Anyway a friend of mine loves going second hand shopping at garage sales so I went along with her and was amazed at what great things I actually scored for nearly next to nothing. Thats when it gave me a great idea to start my own online business selling second hand goods and now I'm making a fairly good income (it's all rather new to me still). The bonus is that I'm doing my bit in reducing waste so less stuff goes into landfills. It seems such a shame that goods are are still in excellent condition just gets tossed away.
Great post! We are currently attempting to travel indefinitely on $20k per year for two people! We sold our home and all our belongings to fund our dream of living 'in the world' as opposed to being owned by our jobs and mortgage. It's not for everyone, but life is short, why not make it an adventure? Thanks for your tips :)
As a dog lover, I'm kind of aghast at the title, and I think all of my pet-lover friends would be too... of COURSE they're worth the expense! They're our kids (my son would agree) and we love them and nurture them and spend money on them as if they were human. Do I try to find good deals on biodegradable poopie bags? yes... Do I look for sales on pet supplies? yes... But I also don't hesitate spending more on good dog food, or vitamins, or joint care, which all increase their health and joy of living. Is my new rescue dog costing more than my previous purebred dog? yes... Do I mind all the vet bills getting him healthy? Of course not! The waggy tail and happy face are SO worth it!
My middle child, age 5, had me bring our french angora rabbit to her class today. I hadn't really thought much about the significance of pets in the lives and experiences of children. After today I am really glad that we have the pets that we do. We have a dog that I put off getting from the humane society until our family was ready for child 2. I always told our oldest before that point that we did not have a "dog lifestyle" before my husband and I decided to have more children. When our oldest was twelve and we were going to have more children we decided that it would be a good source of responsibility and companionship for the oldest child to have a dog as we would have a new baby to attend to ourselves. So, in the class each child had an opportunity to come up and pet the rabbit. I bought it cheap, for $10 from a breeder with extra males with a $10 cage that I found on craigslist and have already harvested two batches of wool for spinning and crochet. I asked the children who had pets and only three did not raise their hands. Ironically one of two identical twin boys did not, while his brother did. Not sure how that works. Interestingly, the only children that expressed fear in petting the docile, fluffy, bunny were those without pets. We use our recycled newspapers to line the cage and used grocery bags to dispose of the waste. Between food, salt licks, and timothy hay we spend about $10 a month. I use the wool produced, and the children have an invaluable learning experience. I would definitely say that our rabbit is worth the investment. Our dog that just ate half of my house plants, on the other hand, I would have to calculate a lot more closely. He does make a good security system, but I'm not sure how to evaluate that on a cost basis. He also cleans up more in the kitchen than any other family member. Okay, the dog is weighing in on the positive side too in my vague calculations. I would have to say that pets are worth the money...if you want them.
Any location where there is Ocean that touches the shoreline is not safe. The Eastern Seaboard is also waaaaay to overcrowded. Rising sea levels, hurricanes, overpopulation, possible nuclear attacks? I would never live on the East Coast. This includes the West coast as well. The safest area in the Midwest in my opinion is WI. Wisconsin itself is on rock solid ground, no earthquakes, hurricanes, not much flooding, no volcano's. Last time a tornado hit was 30 years ago. If any "Major flooding occured, ice caps melt it would go straight down Lake Michigan and flood to the Gulf of Mexico, as predicted by Edgar Cayce in the future. Virginia??? Come on. NV, UT, ID? What if the volcano in Wyoming erupts? Every state around it to Iowa would probably lead to death.
If they ask, or if you have the type of relationship where you can suggest gift ideas, it might be good to ask for events or experiences instead of stuff. Bungee-jumping tickets, museum tickets, a massage, trip to the aquarium for your family, cooking classes, a stay at a hotel while the givers babysit, tickets to a sports event or concert, scuba diving lessons...really, anything that interests you. If you know they're strapped for cash, ask them to teach you how to do something (play guitar, make a family-famous recipe, do a tune-up on your car) and make an event out of it. You'll still be excited to receive it and therefore gratify their desire to make you happy (honestly, I find it boring and a little weird to give money to a charity on behalf of someone else), but you won't have to worry about it cluttering your home.
Are they worth the cost? Yes. Is it possible for everyone to pay that cost? Perhaps not. Being a responsible caregiver and companion to an animal is something that requires financial preparation and time out of your day. But what I get back in return for the 2-a.m. litter changes, the grain-free pet food, separate feeding areas, and monthly pet insurance bill (and all of this is when they're HEALTHY), is limitless unconditional love and the blessing of having cared for another creature. No, they are not human, but our companion animals are something similar: living beings that should be nurtured and attended and who deserve love.
I think having a pet is worth it (usually, LOL). My cat has diabetes and, trust me, he's one expensive kitty. He has to eat an expensive low-carb food, his insulin is over $100 a bottle, plus we have to buy syringes on top of that. The only way I've really found to save money is to get the syringes online. I've shopped around for his special food and his insulin, but savings have only been a few dollars. What I really mind is having to get a pet sitter when we go out of town. It used to be I could get a friend to watch him, but now that he has diabetes, he has to have someone watch him who knows how to give injections and how to look for signs that he may need veterinary care. But, one look at his little face when he greets me at the door, or snuggling up with him on the sofa or the bed, and I remember why I pay a quadrillion dollars a year to keep him healthy!
Support your local restaurants. I can't understand why someone would spend $6 - $8 on a fast food meal (at lunch) when they could get awesome, fresh, authentic food from say a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant. I used to be one of those people who only ate at chain restaurants. I didn't know better. Now that I know better, I politely decline when someone suggests eating at a chain. EXCEPT for Subway. Certainly people have lots of choices.
Absolutely! My pets bring me so much happiness, love, and fulfill my need to nuture. The best thing though is the fitness requirements! I have lost 50 pounds after adopting my two high energy pound puppies!
Are they worth the money? Are children worth the money? Pets are a financial drain, but at this point so is my upside down house. I woudn't dream of getting rid of either. My dogs keep me from going out too often. I guess that saves money. I can't really talk too much about cost savings as the no grain and low grain food they are on costs $80 a month between all 3. Ulltimately, I would say that pets are worth it. If someone is on a tight budget or is not willing to spend the money to take care of an animal properly I would recommend against ownership. I know too many people who can't take care of themselves with animals they are also incapable of caring for.
I am a much bigger fan of the local restaurant not only for all the reasons above, but also because they pay more attention to your special requests (I have a dairy allergy). I have had one too many problems with chains saying stuff contains no dairy or that they will cook something different and they get it wrong. The chains just don't care like the small mom and pop do! Plus I like when the smaller restaurant's use local food!
As with anything it's more opportunity cost. I love my pet! She's a member of the family. And I can afford to feed her, pay her doctor bills and make sure she's safe when we're away.
If it were a matter of giving up the same things for my kids, well, we wouldn't have a dog.
But she's certainly more fun than a dinner out or the occassional weekend away. Pets are an AMAZING value for quality of life compared to what they cost - if you can possibly afford it - get one!
I think pets are definitely worth it. They are relaxing and soothing to people and can calm anyone down. Pets teach kids responsibility and empathy.
We save money on pets by watching for sales and coupons on the food we use and stocking up then. We don't buy a lot of treats or toys. We use old blankets for dog bedding that I buy at garage sales for very cheap. We use a high quality litter for our rabbit so that we don't have to use as much. Then we buy a larger bag of it that is less per lb than a smaller bag.
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My pups are worth every penny. What I've given them pales to the happiness and companionship they have given me. Not to mention how much I have grown and learned about me by teaching them.
I always had to have everything new for years. However when I become unemployed and finding work was so difficult I realised that I just couldn't afford the things I used to be able to. It was hard. Anyway a friend of mine loves going second hand shopping at garage sales so I went along with her and was amazed at what great things I actually scored for nearly next to nothing. Thats when it gave me a great idea to start my own online business selling second hand goods and now I'm making a fairly good income (it's all rather new to me still). The bonus is that I'm doing my bit in reducing waste so less stuff goes into landfills. It seems such a shame that goods are are still in excellent condition just gets tossed away.
Great post! We are currently attempting to travel indefinitely on $20k per year for two people! We sold our home and all our belongings to fund our dream of living 'in the world' as opposed to being owned by our jobs and mortgage. It's not for everyone, but life is short, why not make it an adventure? Thanks for your tips :)
As a dog lover, I'm kind of aghast at the title, and I think all of my pet-lover friends would be too... of COURSE they're worth the expense! They're our kids (my son would agree) and we love them and nurture them and spend money on them as if they were human. Do I try to find good deals on biodegradable poopie bags? yes... Do I look for sales on pet supplies? yes... But I also don't hesitate spending more on good dog food, or vitamins, or joint care, which all increase their health and joy of living. Is my new rescue dog costing more than my previous purebred dog? yes... Do I mind all the vet bills getting him healthy? Of course not! The waggy tail and happy face are SO worth it!
My middle child, age 5, had me bring our french angora rabbit to her class today. I hadn't really thought much about the significance of pets in the lives and experiences of children. After today I am really glad that we have the pets that we do. We have a dog that I put off getting from the humane society until our family was ready for child 2. I always told our oldest before that point that we did not have a "dog lifestyle" before my husband and I decided to have more children. When our oldest was twelve and we were going to have more children we decided that it would be a good source of responsibility and companionship for the oldest child to have a dog as we would have a new baby to attend to ourselves. So, in the class each child had an opportunity to come up and pet the rabbit. I bought it cheap, for $10 from a breeder with extra males with a $10 cage that I found on craigslist and have already harvested two batches of wool for spinning and crochet. I asked the children who had pets and only three did not raise their hands. Ironically one of two identical twin boys did not, while his brother did. Not sure how that works. Interestingly, the only children that expressed fear in petting the docile, fluffy, bunny were those without pets. We use our recycled newspapers to line the cage and used grocery bags to dispose of the waste. Between food, salt licks, and timothy hay we spend about $10 a month. I use the wool produced, and the children have an invaluable learning experience. I would definitely say that our rabbit is worth the investment. Our dog that just ate half of my house plants, on the other hand, I would have to calculate a lot more closely. He does make a good security system, but I'm not sure how to evaluate that on a cost basis. He also cleans up more in the kitchen than any other family member. Okay, the dog is weighing in on the positive side too in my vague calculations. I would have to say that pets are worth the money...if you want them.
It's not worth it to me right now. That could change in the future.
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pets are worth the cost if you have the money. but if you can barely keep your head above the water, then of course you shouldn't have pets.
my husband and i just got married about 4 months ago, but we've been talking about kids forever. this desire motivates us to save.
Very creative analogy and unique way of reaching out to people who need help with their debts.
If you raise your cat correctly, YES.
I think it's a personal decision but it's worth the cost for me.
Any location where there is Ocean that touches the shoreline is not safe. The Eastern Seaboard is also waaaaay to overcrowded. Rising sea levels, hurricanes, overpopulation, possible nuclear attacks? I would never live on the East Coast. This includes the West coast as well. The safest area in the Midwest in my opinion is WI. Wisconsin itself is on rock solid ground, no earthquakes, hurricanes, not much flooding, no volcano's. Last time a tornado hit was 30 years ago. If any "Major flooding occured, ice caps melt it would go straight down Lake Michigan and flood to the Gulf of Mexico, as predicted by Edgar Cayce in the future. Virginia??? Come on. NV, UT, ID? What if the volcano in Wyoming erupts? Every state around it to Iowa would probably lead to death.
If they ask, or if you have the type of relationship where you can suggest gift ideas, it might be good to ask for events or experiences instead of stuff. Bungee-jumping tickets, museum tickets, a massage, trip to the aquarium for your family, cooking classes, a stay at a hotel while the givers babysit, tickets to a sports event or concert, scuba diving lessons...really, anything that interests you. If you know they're strapped for cash, ask them to teach you how to do something (play guitar, make a family-famous recipe, do a tune-up on your car) and make an event out of it. You'll still be excited to receive it and therefore gratify their desire to make you happy (honestly, I find it boring and a little weird to give money to a charity on behalf of someone else), but you won't have to worry about it cluttering your home.
Are they worth the cost? Yes. Is it possible for everyone to pay that cost? Perhaps not. Being a responsible caregiver and companion to an animal is something that requires financial preparation and time out of your day. But what I get back in return for the 2-a.m. litter changes, the grain-free pet food, separate feeding areas, and monthly pet insurance bill (and all of this is when they're HEALTHY), is limitless unconditional love and the blessing of having cared for another creature. No, they are not human, but our companion animals are something similar: living beings that should be nurtured and attended and who deserve love.
I think having a pet is worth it (usually, LOL). My cat has diabetes and, trust me, he's one expensive kitty. He has to eat an expensive low-carb food, his insulin is over $100 a bottle, plus we have to buy syringes on top of that. The only way I've really found to save money is to get the syringes online. I've shopped around for his special food and his insulin, but savings have only been a few dollars. What I really mind is having to get a pet sitter when we go out of town. It used to be I could get a friend to watch him, but now that he has diabetes, he has to have someone watch him who knows how to give injections and how to look for signs that he may need veterinary care. But, one look at his little face when he greets me at the door, or snuggling up with him on the sofa or the bed, and I remember why I pay a quadrillion dollars a year to keep him healthy!
Support your local restaurants. I can't understand why someone would spend $6 - $8 on a fast food meal (at lunch) when they could get awesome, fresh, authentic food from say a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant. I used to be one of those people who only ate at chain restaurants. I didn't know better. Now that I know better, I politely decline when someone suggests eating at a chain. EXCEPT for Subway. Certainly people have lots of choices.
Support local!
Absolutely! My pets bring me so much happiness, love, and fulfill my need to nuture. The best thing though is the fitness requirements! I have lost 50 pounds after adopting my two high energy pound puppies!
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