Thursday Trim the Trash Time: May 18, 2017
Man’s Best Friend
Trim the Trash Time is all about what you can do in your life to save money. Today’s topic is one you probably don’t want to hear, but you should. Yes, today I am going to talk about how owning a pet breaks the bank. You may not want to hear it, but owning a pet could be hurting you financially. My Facebook feed is full of pictures of people with their dogs or cats having a ball. Part of me thinks, “Oh wow that’s cute.” Part of me thinks it’s a waste of cash. I do love animals don’t get me wrong, I just don’t think they are the best use of your money. Today I am going to focus on dog’s, mainly because they are the most popular and most expensive.
1) Pure Breeds might be beautiful, but is it really worth it?
Would someone please tell me why any animal you can get for free costs over $1000? These pure breeds come from top pedigree. The problem is that you have to pay absurd prices for them. There is also the chance that they come from a disturbing puppy mill or are even inbred. Being that there are dozens of beautiful dogs needing a home at your local animal shelter, I feel the answer is simple. Adopt.
2) If your dog gets sick, it costs a fortune!
Growing up my family had purebred Rottweilers. My one dog “Zeus” a 200-pound dog was growing so fast that he outgrew his shoulder. He needed to get it replaced at a young age. That surgery saved him from being immobile his whole life. That operation also cost $2000! Now I am glad it happened because I loved Zeus. I’m glad my parents were able to come up with the money, but it wasn’t easy on them. You have to know that you might be faced with a tough decision when it comes to your pet: Pay for them to get better or take a drive out to the country…..
3) Food, shots, tags, it all adds up
Look at it this way. Owning a dog is like owning a kid but slightly cheaper. If you can barely afford to pay your bills what are you doing having a kid, I mean dog. You have to ask yourself what is more important: Food on your table or food in their bowl. Also, ask yourself if not having savings is appropriate when you have this food guzzling K-9.
If you don’t have the extra money to care for the dog and a doggy emergency fund in case it gets sick then owning one might not be for you. Before you get a dog think really carefully about the costs including money and time. Also, consider getting a shelter dog, they need loving too. Thanks for reading my post today and tune in tomorrow for my final reflection on this week. Have a great day everyone!
“I don’t believe in pets. I like animals to be wild and free.” – John Lydon
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Joseph James Francis is a Financial Advisor. You can find him on various social media platforms and at budgetboss.ca.