How to save money as a pet parent when it comes to food and treats

Being a pet parent can be expensive. There are so many costs associated with owning a dog or a cat. And one of the big costs has to be dog food and treats.

We already know that groceries are expensive. And it can be hard to find ways to save as pet parents. While there are plenty of tips and tricks out there on how to save money as a dog owner, one tip that we have recently seen that we think needs to be considered more often has to be buying in bulk.

In a press email we received on behalf of Bountii, a coupon and promotional code website, one of the main tips that they had for pet parents looking to save some money every year was to buy both food and treats for your pets in bulk. According to the Senior Deals Strategist who put the suggestions together explains, "High-quality pet food can be expensive, but buying larger quantities often comes with significant discounts. Large pet food bags are generally cheaper per unit compared to smaller packages, and you can store the excess in airtight containers to keep it fresh for longer periods."

Buying in bulk can help pet parents save money in the long run when it comes to food and treats

As someone who has a membership to a big box store, Costco, we know that buying in bulk can go a long way in saving money on things we are already buying all the time. And this includes dog and cat food, as well as the treats they love. On top of the savings we get from buying in bulk from the stores already, they also run sales, which can be another great way to save even more on those bulk purchases.

In fact, buying in bulk can have a significant impact on your wallet in the long run. As the email explains, "A pet owner can spend around $50 a month on small bags of premium dog food. By switching to bulk purchases, they could reduce their monthly expenditure to $35, saving $180 annually. Potential savings can be up to 30% per month on pet food costs, depending on the brand and quantity."

While coupons and sales can also help us save money on our pet supplies, those deals are not consistent. And unless you are stocking up when you find a deal, you may still be spending a lot of money on food and treats. Considering our pets need consistency when it comes to their diet, we can't always stick to just sale items when we are buying their food. And that is why bulk deals are the way to go, especially when buying those items from wholesale stores like Costco, Sam's Club, and more.

That being said, you can also buy in bulk at pet stores like Petco and PetSmart as well, and they do run sales that are worth paying attention to when it comes to dog food and treats. Having options when it comes to where you can bulk shop is important, because not everyone is going to have a membership to a wholesale club, so knowing that you can also bulk shop in other stores can make a difference as well.

As someone who has done the bulk shopping thing, my biggest recommendation is to make sure that you don't store the dry food in the bag. Instead, having a resealable container is the way to go to keep the food fresh and bug free. Plus, it will extend the shelf life of the food, making it last the way we want it to.

What do you say fellow pet owners? Are you bulk shopping for your pet?