Having pets and being "frugal."

About two and a half years ago, I wrote a post concerning having pets and being frugal on my previous blog. (here)

A lot has changed since then, but we having pets is not one of them.  Some of our pets have changed, but having that type of companionship is still important to us.

Our household of pets currently consists of 1 dog, 2 cats, and an aquarium of guppies.

I make sure that I budget for their expenses.  Sometimes I can find coupons for their brands of food, but if not, that's okay.  I do try and find the cheapest source for it, but will not change around their food.  I have found changing their food causes more issues than the price of "their" brand.

This is also a case of weighing the costs vs. the benefits.  The companionship and protection received from our animals is far greater than the costs associated with keeping them.  The entertainment that the cats provide is sometimes better than anything on television!

Again.... you need to plan for the expense of a pet, but it does not have to be considered a luxury!