Kelly Robertson
You love your cat and want it to have a well balanced diet. On the other hand, you don’t want to file for bankruptcy because your cat “must” eat some fancy food. We want to help with an advice that will keep your furry friend well fed without breaking the bank.
Here we share 5 simple ways to save money on cat food. Some of these tricks are not sustainable in the long run — the first on the list — but they could get you going. Here’s what we’ve got…
1. Get free samples
As noted above, the problem with this method is that it’s not sustainable in the long run. You can save a bit, nonetheless.
Pretty much every pet food company out there offers free samples periodically. We can’t provide you with links as they expire quickly. Your best bet is to Google “free cat food samples” and see what comes up. To get fresh results click on the “Tools”, then change “Any time” to “Past month.”
You can also visit websites of many (if not all) cat food brands and sign-up to their newsletters, and follow them on social media. From time to time, they may offer free samples.
2. Shop at wholesalers
In a way, it is just like shopping for yourself — buying food at wholesalers such as Sam’s Club, Costco and BJs could save you a ton. Yes, this will require buying cat food in bulk and will also require paying for memberships at those clubs, but it’s well worth it.
What we have found during our little research for this article is that Sam’s Club and Costco can be up to 40 percent cheaper than traditional pet food retailers. Those are huge savings.
One word of warning: as you will be buying cat food in bulk, make sure to check out expiration dates so you don’t end up with a ton of food that will be no good in a week.
3. Check out store-brand offers
Big brands aren’t necessarily better. Some of them have been recalled, remember?
If you want to save, you may want to check out store-brand products. Read the label to find out what’s inside, though — some products may have a high “junk” content such as food colorings and preservatives.
There is a good reason why some cat food costs more than the other, but in many cases it’s the brand that carries the premium price tag. Again, read the label and ask yourself — is this something I want to give to my cat?
Remember that a non-adequate diet could make your cat sick more often, hence increase his/her medical costs.
4. Cook for your cat
This is the favorite option for DIY crowd, and it’s not that hard really. Also, it comes with twofold benefits – your cat gets to eat properly and you save money.
Generally speaking, cat food recipes are easy to prepare. You will need the following mix:
- 50% protein + fat (or a bit more) – animal meat, seafood, or dairy
- 10% carbohydrates – cooked pasta, white rice, barley, oatmeal or peas
- 40% vegetables
- Some vegetable or salmon and water to mix it all together, and add nutrients.
Put it all in a blender and voila – you’ve just prepared a nutritional meal for your cat.
You will want to avoid some ingredients cats don’t love — including garlic, onions, raisins, raw egg whites, tomatoes and grapes.
Bear in mind that based on the ingredients you use, a home-cooked meal could cost more than a can of pre-prepared food. On the other hand, your cat will get to eat the same stuff you have already bought for yourself. And that’s where the savings come from.
Also, you may want to check out this guide: The Good Food Guide For Cats.
5. Subscribe to cat food services
You may have noticed that there is a growing trend among merchants which want us to subscribe to their products rather than occasionally buying them. Cat food is “affected” by this trend as well, allowing you to “subscribe and save” (as they say it).
We suggest trying some of these services:
- PetSmart auto ship – with this automatic delivery program, you can enjoy the convenience of having products delivered to you weekly or monthly. You’ll also benefit from a 20% discount plus free shipping on your first order, and 5% off plus free shipping on all future orders.
- PetFoodDirect auto ship – you get 15% off everything and up to 25% off “Bonus Brands.” You can choose your delivery frequency, and if needed skip shipments or cancel orders at any time (like when you’re travelling). Also, PetFoodDirect will email you five days before your order ships.
- Petco Repeat Delivery – it’s a different name for “auto shop,” it provides you with instant savings of 5% plus free shipping on all deliveries, which you get to schedule.
When visiting one of these sites, just select “auto ship” or “Repeat Delivery” to benefit from savings of repeat orders.
Conclusion
It is important to feed your cat a balanced diet, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. See which of the options outlined in this article work for you, and act accordingly. Or if you have some other trick you want to share, do let us know. Comments form is all yours…
