When you are buying pet food you need to strike a balance between quality and price. The recurring cost of buying pet food is one of the major costs of pet ownership. Now, if you have a small dog or cat, this could be a low expense. However, if you brought home a rottweiler or mastiff, you might need to look for ways to save money on dog food. Here’s a general rule. If you are paying sticker price for a bag of pet food, you are already spending too much.
Stop Looking for Cheap Dog Food Products: Unless you want to consciously overpay, there are ways to cut down on the cost of buying food without compromising on quality. Yup, you really don’t want to get cheap and bad quality pet food products just to save a few bucks. That’s not what we recommend. Instead of looking for cheap pet food products, seek out reputed pet food items at discounted rates. The best way forward is to shortlist a few pet food products that use quality ingredients and you know are good for your dog. Once you have a list, look for dog food discounts and deals that allow you to buy them at a cheaper rate. We also recommend reading online reviews and expert advice before buying any unknown dog food product. You can get instant pet health advice just by whipping out your phone and doing a quick research on the product.
Calculate the Rate of Per Gram of Protein: This is something bodybuilders and athletes do when buying food. When you are buying dry or wet dog food from a pet store, it doesn’t matter how much carbohydrate it contains. What you really should be paying for is the amount of protein per pack. Check out the label and use your smartphone calculator to quickly calculate the total amount of protein per bag. Once you have that number, divide it by the total price. That’s how much you are paying for per gram of protein. When you are comparing two bags of dog food from different brands, this should help you make a more informed choice.
Compare Prices by Shopping Online: When you go to a pet store or a supermarket, you automatically forego your right to compare. This is why it’s recommended to visit online pet stores and compare prices. If you are willing to spend a bit of time you will be able to find the best price for the particular pet food pack, you are looking for.
Boil Ground Meat and Veggies: Buying cheap dog food packs from a pet store is all about the convenience. It’s just way easier to scoop out a few servings than to cook for your dog. That’s why dry dog food products are so popular. However, if you are willing to put in a little bit of effort you can prepare a high-quality homemade meal for your dog. Keep things simple. Buy cheap ground beef, add a few fresh veggies, and cook it in a pressure cooker or crockpot. To save time and effort, prepare large batches at a time that would last you 3 to 4 days. When it’s meal time for your dog, take a serving of meat and veggies out of the fridge and microwave it warm.
Join a Membership Program: A lot of online pet stores offer membership programs to customers. Once you are a member, you get special discounts on pet meds and pet food. Before joining any program, it makes sense to do a bit of math. Make sure the total amount of discount you would potentially score in a year surpasses the membership fee you would need to pay upfront. If you routinely buy pet food and products, a membership plan can potentially save you hundreds of dollars per year.