Weekend Wind-Down: Everyday Purchases

It’s finally Friday! I hope you have had a good week and are ready to have a wonderful weekend! I hope it is relaxing for all of you.

Without any more ado, here is the Weekend Wind-Down, Everyday Purchases edition! Each one of these links takes you to one of articles that I found to be the most interesting or helpful to fit with this week’s theme! If you get the chance, please go visit them and enjoy someone else’s writing!

• 1. Weakonomics – The Weakonomist has put a great, fresh perspective on the concept of saving money by cutting down on drinks, like coffee. Not everyone has an undeniable addiction. Some people may only buy something from them once a month. How much does coffee cost people like that? Read this and find out, from a witty, opinionated writer.

• 2. Pets Best – The start of this entry is extraordinarily disheartening for pet owners. 80% of new pets in shelters and pounds were given up because of job loss or other economic reasons. The article has 8 ways to cut back costs of pet care. They are well thought out, and although one of them deals in coupons, which is not my personal goal, they are all worth reading.

• 3. Adobe – This blog entry by Scene7 highlights the part of brand loyalty in the realm that I never touched – the internet. He explains how much easier it for consumers not to have brand loyalty while shopping online. It’s a different perspective (since it is told from the perspective of someone inside a corporation) and really interesting to read.

• 4. 24/7 Mom - Did you know that mosquito bites will stop itching after you put a small dab of toothpaste on the bite? Trisha @ 24/7 Moms does. She also has creative ways to use salt, newspaper, dryer sheets, and random other things that can be lying around the house. You know the 3 R’s. No, not Reading, Riting, and Rithmetic (although as a future teacher those are important), but Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

Come back tomorrow to see some great craft ideas made from material that I 100% guarantee is in every single person’s home! Have a wonderful weekend!

Fido, Cleo, and Nemo: Licking the Wallet

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to the most wonderful pain-in-the-butt of my life.  This is my dog, Cadi Girl.  She is a lab and Rhodesian Ridgeback mix.  She was found on the side of the road 11 years ago by a veterinary technician.  A friend of the family worked at the animal hospital where she and her brothers and sisters were taken.

My parents took me into the pet hospital to take a look at the “free puppies.”  I saw this little bundle of fur hiding in the back of the kennel (who could easily fit into my shoe at the time) and as they say, the rest is history.

Since I was only 11 at the time, my parents let me have the Beatles mentality and believe that “All You Need is Love” to take care of a pet.  Oh, and I had to walk her and feed her.  I didn’t know at the time, but Cadi had Parvo, a disease that kills over half the puppies that it infects.  My parents had to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars on surgery to save her.

Besides for that extraordinarily large expense, Cadi costs quite a bit of money for being so cute.  I looked at a table recently that tabulated the costs of keep a single cat and dog for a year.  $1200 per dog and $900 per cat.

In this recent economy, Humane Societies and pounds have reported many more animals being dropped off because of their owners being unable to afford them.  If you have a pet like I do, I cannot even imagine how devastating that would be.  So, in the hopes that giving up a beloved pet can be prevented, here are some ideas on saving.

Talk to your vet and find out if there is any discount programs and buy generic medication if possible.  Groom your animal yourself and look online for any deals that could be floating around.  Here is a list of another 21 ideas for saving on pet care.

Finally, how about making some pet toys yourself?  No Crafty Skills required.

• - For Cats: 
• 1. Safety pin some yarn to an old glove!  
• 2. Cut up an old paper towel roll into tiny strips and throw them in the air.

• - For Dogs: 
• 1. Poke some holes in an old milk carton and put some treats or kibble inside (your dog will bat it around for hours if he doesn’t demolish the bottle first).  
• 2. Line up old soda or water bottles and encourage your dog to knock them over like a bowling ball.  Give him a treat when he does!  Eventually fill them with pebbles or sand to make it harder.  Puppy Bowling!
  

I know throughout this post, I’ve mentioned several ways to cut back on pet care… but always remember that the unconditional love given to you by a pet is a reward all its own.