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When choosing the right food for your pet, quality is a factor you can’t ignore. But with so many choices available, knowing what defines high-quality nutrition can take time and effort. For starters, it’s essential to understand the difference between meat ingredients and fillers like corn, soy, or wheat.
How to Find the Best Deals
If you’re like many pet parents, you spend hundreds of dollars per year on food and supplies for your pet. While you may not sit down and map out your pet expenses across spreadsheets and budget templates yearly, you know the burn in your wallet when you pull out your credit card at checkout.
It’s no secret that it pays to shop around, but it’s also important to remember that not all retailers are created equal in pricing. A unit price calculator can help you determine the best value per pound or per-ounce basis.
Whether you shop online at Chewy or your local pet store, you can save money by taking advantage of discounts offered to frequent buyers or subscribers. If you’re a pet foster parent or rely on discounts to help offset the costs of your dog’s care, ask your vet if they have any pet food coupons or samples available. They’re a good resource for helping you find a premium brand that fits your pet’s specific needs.
What to Look For
The pet food aisle is awash in high-priced options, all touting their “premium,” or even super-premium, status. Whether the label is accurate or not, it appeals to our human tendency to perceive that higher prices equal better quality. But is that the case with pet foods?
A lot of the time, it’s not. The term “premium” is a marketing strategy to tap into consumers’ desire for luxury goods. The truth is that there’s no standard set for what makes a food “premium.” Pet foods can simply be labeled as such by marketers who try to distinguish their products by eliminating grains or other fillers, using organic ingredients, including probiotics, utilizing meat as the first ingredient, and more.
These distinctions may add up to a higher price tag but don’t necessarily improve your pet’s health. Studies show that most of the dietary benefits associated with premium foods can be achieved by sticking to the basics of a balanced diet.
How to Save Money
Buying in bulk or at wholesale clubs can help cut costs, especially if you have multiple dogs. You can also find deals at local pet stores or chains that offer loyalty programs. Some grocery stores, including Costco, have discounts on some pet foods. And, as a bonus, some kibble and treat manufacturers will send free food samples to your vet or you if you ask.
It pays to shop around and look for online coupons or price comparison sites. You may also score discounted kibble through subscription services like an autoship program. If you choose this option, consider the unit price—a larger bag could be cheaper per meal than a smaller one.
Be careful not to choose savings over quality, however. If you swap to a lower-cost food that is unhealthy for your dog, you can end up with vet bills that will likely cost more than any money you saved. Discussing the options with your veterinarian if you have concerns about a new food is best. In addition, make sure you check for food recalls before making any purchases. You can also contact your pet’s manufacturer for a list of safe products. Many have newsletters that can help you stay in the loop on their latest deals.
What to Avoid
While the idea of saving money is a great one, it’s important to remember that pets need healthy food. You may find a cheaper food that satisfies your pet’s nutritional needs or is better than a more expensive option. Many pet foods are labeled as premium, natural, or organic, but these claims are mostly marketing hype. While all pet foods must meet minimum standards for health, the quality of ingredients, manufacturing, and testing can differ greatly between brands.
Some companies offer subscription services, allowing you to set up automatic pet food, treats, and accessories deliveries. This is convenient and often saves you time by not worrying about running out of supplies. It also helps you stay on top of your pet’s supply and prevents overstocking. You can cancel or modify your delivery schedule with these services.
If you use these services, stick with a single pet retailer to earn loyalty points and take advantage of discounts on future purchases. This strategy can also help you avoid paying full price and maximize your savings, particularly when a retailer offers a special sale or coupon. Stacking these savings with other cost-saving strategies, such as using a cash-back credit card, can significantly increase your pet food savings.
