Adding a dog, cat, or any other kind of animal may seem like a great idea when you see their adorable face sitting at a shelter, but there are several things to think about before taking on the responsibility of an animal.

Unexpected emergencies can happen; they need vaccinations and physical annually and may need preventatives for heartworm and fleas depending on the area you live in.

Use these nine tips below to save money on pet-related expenses.

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1. Get cash back with Ibotta

Ibotta is a free app that gives you cash back for making purchases on things like groceries, clothes, toiletries, and even dog-related purchases!

You can save a lot of money on dog food, dog prescriptions (like a flea preventive), and more!

If you sign up now, you can get $10 in your account by using my link here.

2. Use Rover For Pet Sitting

If you're gone all day or are going on vacation, getting a pet sitter is essential to taking care of your pet's health and well-being.

Rover has pet-sitters for as low as $10 a walk, and they provide several other options as well depending on what you need.

You can get $20 toward your pet-sitting by signing up with my code here.

3. Or Make Your Toys

Dogs are so incredibly easy to entertain.

You could get a sock and put an empty water bottle in it, and they'd be entertained for hours.

Here is a list of 33 dog toys that you can make at home if you're on a budget.

4. Save On Medication By Purchasing On 1-800 Pet Meds

We purchase all of our dog meds on 1-800 Pet Meds for two simple reasons.

We never have to go to the vet to pick up the meds as they get straight to our house, and we also save hundreds of dollars each year.

For fun, I called up my vet and asked them how much they charge for heartworm medication because I wanted to see how much I was saving by buying meds online.

They were charging $175 for the same medication that I was buying online for less than $100. Insanity!

Both of our dogs are on tick/flea and heartworm all year long since we live in Texas so that it can get pretty expensive, but we save a few hundred each year by purchasing the medication online.

5. Stay Up To Date On Vaccines

Staying up to date on vaccines avoids unexpected costs.

If your dog is not vaccinated with the proper vaccinations, you're putting your dog and other dogs at risk for getting a life-threatening disease.

Having a dog is a responsibility that you took on when you adopted him or her, and it's expected that you'd take care of their health as you would take care of yourself.

6. Make Treats At Home

Making dog treats at home is so easy and can be much more affordable than buying treats at the store.

I've made a large batch of dog treats before, and they're a hit with my dogs!

Here is a simple three-ingredient recipe with foods you probably already have in your kitchen.

A few healthy treats for dogs are:

• carrots (great for cleaning plaque off their teeth!)
• green beans
• sweet potatoes
• apples
• oatmeal

7. Visit Low-Cost Clinics

Finding a low-cost clinic in your area can be a real game changer.

A simple way to find an affordable clinic is by searching, “Low-Cost Clinic,” and then typing in your city after it into Google.

We started going to Thrive in Austin, which is a low-cost vet.

We are paying a quarter of what other vets are charging in the area.

The only downfall of using low-cost clinics is that they book up in advance, so you want to make sure you schedule appointments ahead of time.

Related: 50 Ways To Save $500+ Each Month

8. Brush Their Teeth Daily

Brushing your dog. cat, or other animals teeth are just as important as you brush your teeth, yet it's not a common thing pet owners do.

A few reasons why you should brush their teeth daily are:

• dental disease can lead to a long list of problems
• you'll save money by avoiding these problems
• periodontal disease affects 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 (wow!)
• they can lose their teeth (painful for them)

The reality is that pets can get very expensive, especially as they get older into their senior years.

Giving dogs up in their older years as they potentially get sick should never be an option, so make sure to think about the full cost of having a dog before adopting one.

➡️ What to read next: How I Spend $1,348 On A Six Figure Income

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How do you save money on pet expenses?