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Our Debt Free Family

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Do You Celebrate Your Pet’s Birthday?

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celebrate your pet's birthday

In the debt-free community, it is frowned upon to spend money on things that aren’t absolutely necessary. However, I tend to think that if you don’t allow yourself any fun you’re more likely to stray away from your debt freedom goals altogether. One fun thing we do every year is celebrate our dog, Enzo. He has been our first “child” for four years now and, even with the arrival of our baby in a few short months, we wanted to continue his birthday celebrations this year. Do you celebrate your pet’s birthday?

What We Do To Celebrate

Now, we don’t do anything too extravagant. We simply make sure our favorite pup in the world has the best day ever. After all, he has brought us so much joy since being a part of our family. This year, we bought him some special treats, a new toy, and made him some homemade whipped cream (which he loves). Altogether, it cost us about $20 to help make a special day for our dog. His reaction, on the other hand, is always priceless, as depicted by the photo of him and his new toy below.celebrate your pet's birthday

Ways to Celebrate Your Pet

That being said, you don’t necessarily have to spend $20 to celebrate your pet’s birthday. They are simple creatures. Here are a few low-cost (or no-cost) ways we’ve celebrated Enzo in the past.

  • Go to the park. This is one of our favorite things to do on Enzo’s birthday. A quick trip to the dog park is absolutely free and they’ll have the time of their lives. If you have a cat that likes to be walked on a harness, consider taking them for a walk.
  • Set up a playdate. Our Enzo loves playing with other dogs so setting up a playdate with one of his favorite doggo friends is always a good no-cost way to make his day great.
  • Cook something special for them. There are a number of things you can cook that your pet will enjoy. They will love the change in food. Just be sure you are giving them something that is 100% safe and healthy for them to eat.
  • Do some of their favorite things. Whatever their favorite things may be, try to take time to do them. Enzo loves a good car ride, trip to the park, and even just a walk. All of these things are 100% free.
  • Give them extra attention. Simply giving your pet some extra attention on their birthday can be enough to may their day special. Best of all, it’s free.

Do You Celebrate Your Pet’s Birthday?

With a rise in the number of people who have pets in general and many of those individuals choosing not to have children, celebrating your pets has become more normal than you’d imagine. People truly treat their pets like members of their family, which they should. Every dog (or whatever your pet of choice may be) deserves to have its day and you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to give them a good one.

So, readers, what do you think? Do you celebrate your pet’s birthday too? How do you celebrate? 

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Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

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<p>As you know, I got a puppy in June. If you speak to most pet owners they'll talk about their cat or dog like it is a member of the family. For many people, pets are members of the family, which is why you'd want to insure their health (just like you do your own). While it seems like a great idea, is pet insurance all it's cracked up to be?</p>::Pexels
As you know, I got a puppy in June. If you speak to most pet owners they’ll talk about their cat or dog like it is a member of the family. For many people, pets are members of the family, which is why you’d want to insure their health (just like you do your own). While it seems like a great idea, is pet insurance all it’s cracked up to be?

What is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance is essentially health insurance for your pet. You pay a monthly fee and then any vet visits or health-related procedure your pet needs is either covered partially or in full by the insurance company. Insurance usually covers things like emergency checkups, vaccines and routine checkups. Some policies even include the death of your pet or if they are lost or stolen.

How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?

Like any other insurance policy, the cost of pet insurance can vary depending on the type of coverage you purchase, your pet and their health as well as how much of their health costs you want covered. Most pet insurance policies cost anywhere from $25 to $100 per month (with a wide variety of coverage). Pet insurance seems like a great idea, especially if you’re attached to your furry friend, but is it worth the price?

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Should You Buy Pet Insurance?

In my opinion, pet insurance is a waste of money unless your pet fits the following:

  • Brand new pets (puppies and kittens). During the first year of a cat or dog’s life there are a ton of vaccines and regular procedures they’ll need to have done. Purchasing pet insurance for the first year of your puppy or kitten’s life can prove to be beneficial. Many pet insurance programs will cover their vaccines, emergency checkups (for when they eat something they shouldn’t have) and their spay/neuter. This makes pet insurance something to consider if you’ve got a brand new pet.
  • Your pet is sickly. Another reason you may consider purchasing pet insurance is if your pet is sick regularly. Many pet owners who have rescued their pet have this issue. Frequent visits to the vet get costly. Having pet insurance can help reduce (or get rid) of that cost.
  • Pure bred pets. If you spent a lot of money on your animal or plan to breed them you may consider getting pet insurance. Some dog or cat owners spend a tremendous amount of money on their animal because it is a pure breed. It is best to place insurance on such a large investment.
  • Older pets. If your pet is older you may also consider getting pet insurance. Just like humans, pets often get sick and need more medical attention in their old age. Some pet insurances will even cover the cost of the death of your pet (if you have to put them to sleep and cremation).

No matter if you decide to purchase pet insurance or not it is always important to do plenty of insurance before buying any type of coverage. Be sure that you are getting the best deal (and the best coverage) for your money! There are many new pet insurance companies that offer affordable pet insurance deals, so make sure to do your research before making your decision!

Do you have pet insurance? Has it proven to be worth it? 

Photo: Healthy Paws