A thread to collect ideas on how save some cash, while raising a healthy, sound dog in modern times.
A few of my favorite methods, to kick things off....
1. Bartering. The barter system is alive and well, if you are creative, motivated, and willing to ask. While this won't work at your local Petco, many independent owners and trainers may be happy to accept goods or services in exchange for their own products or time. There's a man I trained with for a long time that paid the instructor with 1/4 sides of beef (he was a farmer). Another person does photography for trials, and receives lesson time in exchange. I've exchanged vegetables, plants, design work (logos, graphics) and all kinds of other things for dog related stuff. Everyone wins. Maybe you mow lawns, maybe you're an ace at baking birthday cakes, whatever it is, don't be shy - just ask if trade is an option.
2. The Incredible Edible Egg. My favorite food treat - nutritious and so inexpensive. Hardboil and stuff them into Kongs, or hardboil, wrap in foil, and take along on a hike, or just crack them raw over dinner, so easy. If you can find someone that raises pastured poultry, wonderful. Offer to take any "mystery age" eggs off their hands. If their birds free range, it's pretty much guaranteed that unexpected eggs are found here and there outside the nestboxes. Offer to buy (or trade for!) duck eggs, turkey eggs, they're all edible, and people are sometimes unwilling to buy them because they're big/speckled/oblong. Don't be grossed out if you find some blood spots or development in the eggs occasionally, just throw them out if it bothers you. Or, take the plunge and raise your own chickens, if you have the space and time.
3. E-Mail Lists = COUPONS. Fromm, Nature's Variety, and others send coupons to their e-list subscribers every few months or so. It doesn't make the good quality food cheap, but every $5.00 off is $5.00 back in your pocket for something else. When you pair that with independent stores' Buy XX-Get-1-Free program, it adds up.
4. Freeze Freebies for Later Use. Save bones from your own meals in a ziplock bag, when you have enough, make a batch of bone broth. Nutritious, a tasty topping for dog meals, and it doesn't cost a penny more. You'd still have eaten the turkey leg anyway, right? Ask friends or family that hunt to save you the less desirable parts of animals, cook/freeze/serve as appropriate, however you wish. It often goes to waste otherwise.
A few of my favorite methods, to kick things off....
1. Bartering. The barter system is alive and well, if you are creative, motivated, and willing to ask. While this won't work at your local Petco, many independent owners and trainers may be happy to accept goods or services in exchange for their own products or time. There's a man I trained with for a long time that paid the instructor with 1/4 sides of beef (he was a farmer). Another person does photography for trials, and receives lesson time in exchange. I've exchanged vegetables, plants, design work (logos, graphics) and all kinds of other things for dog related stuff. Everyone wins. Maybe you mow lawns, maybe you're an ace at baking birthday cakes, whatever it is, don't be shy - just ask if trade is an option.
2. The Incredible Edible Egg. My favorite food treat - nutritious and so inexpensive. Hardboil and stuff them into Kongs, or hardboil, wrap in foil, and take along on a hike, or just crack them raw over dinner, so easy. If you can find someone that raises pastured poultry, wonderful. Offer to take any "mystery age" eggs off their hands. If their birds free range, it's pretty much guaranteed that unexpected eggs are found here and there outside the nestboxes. Offer to buy (or trade for!) duck eggs, turkey eggs, they're all edible, and people are sometimes unwilling to buy them because they're big/speckled/oblong. Don't be grossed out if you find some blood spots or development in the eggs occasionally, just throw them out if it bothers you. Or, take the plunge and raise your own chickens, if you have the space and time.
3. E-Mail Lists = COUPONS. Fromm, Nature's Variety, and others send coupons to their e-list subscribers every few months or so. It doesn't make the good quality food cheap, but every $5.00 off is $5.00 back in your pocket for something else. When you pair that with independent stores' Buy XX-Get-1-Free program, it adds up.
4. Freeze Freebies for Later Use. Save bones from your own meals in a ziplock bag, when you have enough, make a batch of bone broth. Nutritious, a tasty topping for dog meals, and it doesn't cost a penny more. You'd still have eaten the turkey leg anyway, right? Ask friends or family that hunt to save you the less desirable parts of animals, cook/freeze/serve as appropriate, however you wish. It often goes to waste otherwise.