Friday, February 3, 2012

Pet Expenses Since Day One

Since I decided to start keeping track of our monthly pet expenses, I thought it would be a good idea to get a rough estimate of what we've spent so far. I have been using Mint.com to track my credit card expenses for years, so retrieving the data wasn't too much of a hassle. Too bad they don't have more detailed categories, but having something is better than having nothing.

This is what I have under the "pets" category from the day we brought Maya back till the end of 2011:

2010
  • September: $312
  • October: $423
  • November: $156
  • December: $65
TOTAL: $956 ($239/month)


2011
  • January: $137
  • February: $553
  • March: $18
  • April: $0
  • May: $37
  • June: $195
  • July: $307
  • August: $40
  • September: $433
  • October: $159
  • November: $44
  • December: $277
TOTAL: $2,200 ($183/month)

Tough I paid for most of Maya's expenses, her daddy did pick up a few bills as well. The big ones include our first dermatologist visit, a week of boarding while we traveled to Peru, and Maya's flight to Seattle, which adds up to about $850. He also paid for the pup itself, which I won't include here, as I don't know if the breeder would like this information to be public and it's not really part of the monthly expenses. (Just to be clear, I paid most stuff through my credit card, but it doesn't mean her daddy didn't help me out with the expenses.)

There are a few things that couldn't be tracked here as well, like things we picked up while shopping for our own stuff, especially treats from Costco and raw meat from the supermarket. I also made some purchases by cash, but should be minimun. I would put in a guesstimate of $250 for those added up.

So adding up everything from above, the grand total will be around $4,256 ($266/month).

The big burst in the first few months was expected, as we were preparing all the basic supplies from crate, leash, toys, to water bowls, as well as vaccinations. It cooled off for a while, then Maya got an expensive spay operation in February. (At that time we didn't know there are much cheaper options, but oh well, at least it's a one time thing and she recovered quickly.) After a few more quiet months, her allergies kicked in around June, and that's when the vet bills went crazy.

For 2012, since we have all the basic supplies and her allergy is under control, we should be expecting a lower monthly average. There will be more spent on agility classes, but the cost should be more on me than on her, as she's perfectly fine without it and I'm probably the one who enjoys it more. Anyhow, spending money on something fun would be more desirable than visiting the doctors. With the new monthly tracking methods, hopefully we can have a better idea where the money actually goes as well as a more accurate household total.

Maya was my 2010 birthday gift. Her daddy let me choose between a puppy and a Prada purse. This must be the most high maintenance Prada ever! Till this day, I still don't have a Prada, but I believe no accessory will ever bring me the happiness she brought me. Not even close.



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