Pets are much-loved members of many families. They're also big business. The American Pet Products Association estimates that pet owners spend nearly $60 billion.
No Spoiling the Animals
There's no need to go crazy buying bucketsful of toys for a new pet, especially when it's not clear what they will enjoy. A few playthings will do. Top choices for nearly all dogs.
Toys and More Toys
Whether the new pet is a pup or full-grown adult, a fancy bed isn't worth the price. Puppies chew and rip all kinds of things, as do untrained older dogs. And don't forget the potential.
Expensive Bed
Dressing up a pet can be loads of fun for humans. But budget-conscious pet owners are better off sticking to the essentials. A winter sweater or coat for a small or short-haired.
Pet Clothing
Buying expensive treats to save money may sound counterintuitive, but many cheap treats are filled with hard-to-pronounce ingredients that may cause stomach distress for a pet.
Cheap Treats
Forget paying extra for specially formulated paw wipes ($22 for 200) to use after walking a pooch through mud and over wintertime's salt-strewn sidewalks. Generic baby wipes will get an animal.
Paw Wipes
There's absolutely no need to buy bathing towels designed specifically for dogs. A microfiber towel decorated with a paw print ($13 and up) is a cute but unnecessary expense.
Special Drying Towels
Dogs jump and cats scratch. Before spraying down furniture with deterrent sprays, or loading up on devices such as a "sonic scat pad" ($32), work on training techniques that involve reward.
Furniture Deterrents
Dog urine can create yellow spots in a lawn. But giving the animal a chewable tablet that alters the chemical composition of the urine is not a good idea, according to experts on animal health.
Edible Lawn Protector