Ways to Care for Your Dog on a Budget
You Can Save Money And Have Pets
Most people can't imagine life without having a dog by their side. They give unconditional love, without expecting much in return. They are just happy to be able to spend time with you.
However, most people also know that dogs cost money, so there are times when it might not be feasible to have one. They know it is not fair to add a new dog into their home when the budget won't allow it. The simple truth is that there are ways you can fit a dog into your budget.
Here are some ways to help you care for your dog on a budget.
Put it in the budget.
In order to have money to pay for your dog, you need to put his or her needs into your budget. You can start by putting a few dollars each month to go toward your dog's care. After a time, you may be able to put more toward the budget. It will add up over the next several months (or years).
Say no.
The simple truth is that your dog doesn't need everything that you see in a pet store. When you go to the pet store, you may be overwhelmed with all of the things that you think your dog needs.
He or she doesn't need much. You are going to need to buy a food and water dish, along with a leash and collar. You may want to buy a few toys, including chew toys.
Be your own grooming.
One of the most expensive parts of owning a dog is grooming. This is especially true with dogs who need it done every few weeks. You may want to spend a few dollars to buy a set of clippers and do all of the grooming yourself (or choose a dog that doesn't need to be clipped regularly).
Don't skimp on vaccines.
Though you may want to avoid taking your dog to the veterinarian, vaccines will keep your dog free from common diseases that dogs get. It can also save your family from some diseases that pass from dogs to people, such as rabies.
Annual examinations are also important. Your veterinarian will look for any problems that your dog may have. It is much cheaper to treat them in the beginning than to wait until your dog is really sick. Your dog may not even survive if you wait too long!
Spay or neuter your dog.
Though this will cost you money, it will save you money (and heartache) in the long run. It keeps pets home because they won't be roaming the neighborhood looking for a mate. They are less likely to hit by a car. Unspayed females can also get an infection, which can be deadly. The only way to fix it is by spaying (though it will cost a lot more due to illness).
Keep your dog out of trouble.
Emergencies are the most expensive (and unexpected) expenses that come along with having a dog. For this reason, you need to be careful (and watch your dog). You can keep your dog safe by keeping him or her on a leash. Keep things out of reach that could harm your dog, such as grapes and chocolate.
Having a dog doesn't have to be too expensive. There are many ways to save money, including doing all of the grooming yourself. You also don't have to buy everything that you see at the pet store. Just get the basics and your dog will be just fine! Make sure that you take your dog to the veterinarian regularly to keep him or her as healthy as possible.
About the Creator
Shelley Wenger
Small town country girl in southern Pennsylvania. Raising two boys on a small farm filled with horses, goats, chickens, rabbits, ducks, dogs, and a cat. Certified veterinary technician and writer at Virtually Shelley.
Keep reading
More stories from Shelley Wenger and writers in Petlife and other communities.
Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet
Owning a pet is a big responsibility, one that shouldn't be taken lightly. Your cute and cuddly kitten is going to grow up into a cat that may prefer to spend time outdoors (than beside you on the couch). Your little puppy may become over fifty pounds, so it isn't going to be cute when he jumps on you at that size. In fact, he could seriously hurt you!
By Shelley Wenger4 years ago in Petlife
A Dart at Dusk
Seconds ago, the sullen sun set on the two of us… my exuberant furry companion and me. A fresh breeze embraces us, delivering welcome relief from the day’s oppressive heat. His typical stumbling and staggering along — apace with a sloth — has turned into trip-trapping, high-stepping, almost skipping along.
By Angie the Archivist 📚🪶4 days ago in Petlife
The Chair That Never Came
The ballroom shimmered beneath a thousand lights, every breath in the room carrying a quiet note of expectation. It was the annual Global Philanthropy Summit — the kind of gathering where names were whispered, not introduced, and where power did not need to announce itself. Guests filled the hall in practiced elegance: CEOs, founders, donors whose signatures could build hospitals or topple companies. Their names were printed on cards in the front rows — curated, counted, and arranged weeks ahead of time. And then, she arrived. Megan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped into the room with her aide at her side — unlisted, unexpected, yet walking with the confidence of someone long accustomed to the world bending for her. A ripple went through the staff. She wasn’t on the schedule. Her name wasn’t on the seating chart. Yet here she was — bright, smiling, certain that a seat had been prepared simply because she had entered. Her assistant gestured toward the front row — an empty chair, momentarily vacated by a tech billionaire who had stepped away. They approached. A tap on her shoulder stopped her. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” an event coordinator said, voice low but firm. “This row is reserved. We have a place for you on the side.” It was polite. It was professional. But it was also final. Witnesses described a frozen moment — the duchess pausing, her fixed smile barely shifting. She waited. Surely someone would come. Someone always did. Someone to pull forward a chair, clear a space, make room for The Duchess. But the room moved without her. Guests settled. Conversations resumed. Cameras flashed for other faces. No eyes searched for her. No staff scrambled. For a long, awkward stretch of minutes, she stood — a royal silhouette in a space where titles were currency no one traded in. Only after the keynote began did someone quietly guide her to a chair far off to the side — not ignored, but unmistakably ordinary. It was a message sharper than any royal protocol. Here, pedigree meant nothing. Here, you had to earn your place. As she sat, her posture perfect, she seemed smaller somehow — not in height, but in certainty. She had left behind a palace she felt confined her. Now she was discovering that the world outside was not a red carpet rolled out on demand, but a maze of circles that chose who belonged. No one glared. No one mocked. Worse — no one cared. And as the lights dimmed and the speaker continued, the duchess realized that a story she controlled for years — of escape, of reinvention, of ranking above the room — had slipped unexpectedly from her hands. Because in this world, there were no thrones to claim. Only seats to earn. And on this night, hers had not yet been built. Yet the echoes of that evening stretched far beyond the ballroom. In the days that followed, the incident circulated quietly through private WhatsApp groups, PR offices, and agency boardrooms long before it drifted onto newsfeeds. It became not merely a moment, but a cautionary parable whispered among people who move unseen behind red carpets and televised galas. The philanthropic summit, for all its glamour, was in essence a workplace — one built on long hours, unglamorous logistics, and delicate balances of influence. Those who earned their seats — hedge fund architects, founders who spent decades scaling companies from kitchen tables, activists who slept more nights in tents than in five-star hotels — had arrived with portfolios of proof. Their chairs symbolized legacy, labor, and investment. That was the silent contradiction that defined the tension of the evening: a clash between earned capital and perceived entitlement. Long after the lights dimmed, several attendees recalled the most striking image of the night was not Meghan’s presence, but the posture she held. Standing still while those around her settled into ease created a tableau impossible to ignore. The body language told its own story — a woman accustomed to doors opening, suddenly meeting a door that did not move. But the narrative is not static. Those closest to Hollywood know perception shifts as quickly as ticket sales or social algorithms. For every room closing, another may open. A new initiative, a breakout documentary, a bold charity partnership — any could rewrite the arc. Indeed, some observers saw the moment less as punishment and more as a turning point. A “reset” disguised as discomfort. Within crisis, opportunity hides — and public figures have reinvented themselves from weaker positions. The industry rewards resilience almost as much as originality. Whether Meghan interprets the evening as humiliation or instruction remains unseen. What will matter most is the response — not in speeches or statements, but in action. Consistency. Delivery. Showing up in rooms after the spotlight fades, not only before it rises. The silent lesson of the missing chair was not only you cannot assume your place — it was you can build one. Chairs — literal or symbolic — are manufactured, funded, and earned. They are pulled up by those willing not just to sit, but to contribute. The question now hanging over future rooms is simple and powerful: Will Meghan build her chair — or wait for another one to be offered?
By Behind the Curtain5 days ago in Petlife
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.