Women Need to Save More than Men

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In today’s world, we seem to be entering a new financial revolution for women. Talk of the pay gap has increased, which has led to women gaining more respect and equal pay in the workplace.

Despite this new-found attention, women still are iffy about money. They lack confidence in saving for their future, don’t like to talk about it, and would almost rather talk about anything else.

According to a recent survey, only 52% of women feel their confident enough in managing their investments. That’s just over half of all women!

There’s still a strong feeling that men are providers and they take care of the family, but there’s a fairly large loop hole that many couples don’t think about when planning for retirement: women live longer than men.

This is why it’s super important to help women understand that financial matters aren’t just about empowerment, but having the ability to survive if something bad happens.

Lorna Sabbia from Merrill Lynch agrees.

“As women are at a tipping point to achieve greater financial empowerment and independence, it is even more essential that we support women in helping them pursue financial security for life. This includes encouraging women to invest more of their assets, save earlier for retirement, and pursue financial solutions that closely align to their personal values and life paths,” she said.

There’s a real investment gap between men and women and it’s troubling. Investing often seems like a ‘man’s game’ and can seem too analytical. They do well with other aspects, like budgeting, but investing isn’t a strong suit for most women.

On average, women live 5 years longer than men. 84% of all people over 100 are women. While this is a continuing trend, a little less than half of all women worry about running out of money. This is not a fear that will go away anytime soon, especially as technological developments allow us to live longer.

This is a major problem that needs to be addressed. Over half of all women say they regret not investing more while they were able. 60% say they didn’t invest because they just didn’t have the knowledge necessary. 34% cited a lack of confidence.

To combat this, women should consider hiring a financial planner and taking the time to learn how to properly invest.

It also shouldn’t be a subject women shy away from with their husbands. They should be in on the front lines and discussing ALL aspects of future saving, including investments, so they understand how it works and they know what their options are when the time comes.

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Homes of the Future Are Here Today

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As with nearly every other facet of our modern world, the homes we live in are becoming smarter and more technologically advanced seemingly with each passing year.  

Thanks to millions of dollars of investments into car technology, we now have vehicles on the road that are safer, cleaner, and can drive and park by themselves without driver intervention.   

No, we still don’t have flying cars yet, but the advancements in home technology will completely change how we live our lives.  

With huge advancements in biometrics, you can own a smart home that knows who you are, what you like, and can even help you conserve energy.  It does this all by remote access. You wear a bracelet or some similar type of device and it will tell you apart from other family members living in the home.   

By reading your heartbeat, the house can determine your mood and preferences.  Is your skin warm or cold? It will adjust the temperature in the room. Does it sense you’re about to walk into your study? It will turn the lights on for you (and turn them off again when you leave).  

There are a lot apps as well that will allow you to see who’s at the door, detect movement, turn on lights, and even play custom music to your specifications.

In simple words, you can control your whole living experience from your wrist or smartphone.  The more you wear and use this technology, a pattern about your habits begins to emerge. That means your home will only get smarter and adapt.

Making Economic and Environmental Sense

As technology and the internet continues to improve our lives, it opens the door for more opportunities to live smarter and more connected to all that goes on around us.

For example, the refrigerator with a touch screen, webcam, and app you can pull up on your phone.  If you forgot to check if you need a gallon of milk on your way home from work, all you do is pull up the app and can see exactly what’s inside the fridge.   While this technology is cool, scientists are fundamentally changing the way we use refrigerators so they’re also environmentally friendly as well.

Rather than using coolants in a process known as water vapor compression to generate cold air, researchers have found new ways of keeping your food cold using magnets.  It’s called the magnetocaloric effect, meaning you can raise or lower the temperature of an object by changing its magnetic field.

Another uses a cooling fluid that’s water-based, cutting down on the amount of electricity used.  That’s great for the environment and the pocket book.

Any time you get to add new technology to an already established system, and discover new ways of doing it better while not harming the environment, it’s a slam dunk.  Consider the various wireless sensors designed to make your home more energy efficient. They will control lighting units, heating and cooling systems, and the like by measuring the temperature of the room, humidity and light levels and adjust accordingly.   

There are even advanced windows which are highly insulated and can detect the amount of sunlight in a room.  They will darken or lighten, much like transition lenses on a pair of glasses that go dark to protect your eyes when you step outside into a bright, sunny day.  This measure will save consumers money and energy.

Nearly every part of your home is upgradable to more energy-efficient and bill saving options.  With smarter and more efficient appliances, roofs, windows, siding, and insulation, all connected to smart technology, biometrics, and apps, your home will know how to keep you comfortable while saving the environment and your pocket book.

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5 Ways to Save More Money this Year

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The secret to saving money is knowing how to spend it wisely. If you want to have a few extra bucks saved in your account for rainy days, for that family vacation you deserve, or for anything else you might need, then you have to be practical about how you spend.

Here are 5 easy ways to save money throughout the year.

1) Pay your bills early and on time.

I get it. You hate to pay bills. It’s a part of being an adult we all loathe. But, if we want things, then we need to pay for them. If you want cable and high-speed internet, it’s going to cost you a good chunk of change. The phone bill for you and the family will require a blood sacrifice and your first born.

We’re not saying you should get rid of that stuff, but if you’re going to have it, then make sure the bill is paid on time every month. Most of these accounts require commitments and if you miss a payment, you’ll be racked with late charges, penalties, and your credit score can take a hit. The last thing you need to do is shell out even more money for services.

2) Have an emergency fund.

You might think this is a waste of time and money. A lot of people don’t bother to save, either because they don’t think they can afford it, or they don’t anticipate something happening. In realty, that’s not a smart choice to make. Things WILL go wrong at some point in your life.

A recent survey said that a majority of Americans don’t even have access to $400 if something were to happen. If you got into an accident tomorrow, and you couldn’t work for a while, how tough of a situation would you be? If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck and have nothing saved in the bank, you’d really be hurting.

The best advice is to have about 6-9 months saved up in the bank, which is the average time it takes to find a new job or get back on your feet after an accident.

3) Learn how to say no to impulse desires.

One of the biggest financial blunders Americans make is taking on more debt when they can’t even afford the debt they have. They see something they want, really can’t afford it, but mindlessly swipe the credit card and magically believe it will take care of itself later.

Monthly payments will eventually catch up to you, you’ll get late, have fees and penalties added on, it will wreck your credit score, and before you know it, you’re drowning. It happens to millions of Americans every year.

As I stated in the previous point, things happen all the time. It’s better to not have that shiny new toy and put the money in the bank for a rainy day, then to barely eek out every month. Do yourself a favor and just say no.

4) Refinance your student loans and get help paying them off.

We’ve covered this topic a lot on this blog. Student loans are a burden on so many people. They are preventing former students from getting a house and even from being able to work their dream job…the whole reason why they went to college in the first place. A lot of states will revoke your license to work if you have unpaid student loans.

If this is you, there is help out there! Government programs, refinancing loans into one payment so you’re working with a smaller interest rate, and so much more is available to you. To learn more, feel free to give us a call!

5) Don’t borrow from your retirement.

One misstep plenty of people take is borrowing from their retirement whenever they need a few bucks, but that approach is like robbing your future self of the retirement you deserve. Not only is it a risky move, you can be charged extra for pulling money out early. The big question remains: what will you do in retirement if you can’t replenish the fund?

Getting involved in this vicious cycle of poor money habits won’t offer you an ounce of financial freedom. It might make you feel good for a few days being able to buy what you want, but after some time, that joy becomes stale as you (and millions of others) regret the decision. Be smart, learn to say no, and save as much as you can. You’ll be happier for it.

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Looking for a Great Deal on a Vehicle? Check the Used Lot

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Right now, you might be thinking it’s a precarious time to buy a vehicle, but it’s time for an upgrade. What should you do?

With auto loan rates rising, it can scare a lot of people from shopping as they sit back and wait for things to settle a bit.

That doesn’t mean you still can’t get a great deal on a car or truck that both fits your needs and is at a price you can afford. To do that though, you should do your shopping in the used car lot.

“If you really had to have a certain make and model, look at a used car. It can help with affordability, and you get a lot of the same benefits,” says Joe Pendergast, VP of lending at Navy Federal Credit Union.

It’s all about supply and demand. Over the past few years, people choosing to lease vehicles has reached an all-time high. That means when the leases are up, there’s always a flood of ‘gently used’ cars that make their way to the dealership. That bodes well for anyone hoping to get a good deal.

Vehicle prices have already seen a drop. According to the U.S. Labor Department, the cost has already started to drop, falling nearly 2% in April. Analysts expect that number will only go down as we enter the summer months.

Of course, most people want something brand new, as it offers the best of everything, from top-notch warranties to the latest technology to hit the market. Used vehicles aren’t that far off from buying brand new, but at a steep discount.

Most used vehicles are only a few years older, low mileage, and with the same great technology you’ll find in a new model. In short: you’re pretty much buying the same vehicle at a huge discount.

Trucks and SUVs often top the list as the most popular vehicles in the country to buy right now. Experts don’t believe that higher gas prices this summer will dent SUV sales too much. Navy Federal Credit Union says that the F-150 is the most popular vehicle their members get.

These types of vehicles are often higher in price, making it not uncommon to see buyers taking out 6-year loans. It’s always suggested that buyers stay on top of what they can afford and know their credit score before investing.

“Whether you’re buying new or used, don’t take the first deal you see. Be able to know that you can afford your car payment, as well as gas and maintenance,” said Pendergrast.

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You Won’t Believe the Estimated Price Tag for the Upcoming Royal Wedding

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Americans are fascinated by the British royal family. To us, they are superstars and we follow them and their lives as closely as any other famous person.

On November 27th, 2017, it was announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were engaged, and Americans couldn’t be happier. That meant another royal wedding was going to happen soon!

And now, that time has come! This weekend, the prince and his beautiful bride will tie the knot. Because this is a financial blog, we can’t help but ask the question: how much does a royal wedding cost?

The average American wedding can shoot upwards of $34,000! To us, that’s a lot of money, but it pales in comparison to the amount the royal family will shell out. Back in 2011, Prince William married Kate Middleton at an astounding cost of $34 million!

Let’s look at this year’s epic ceremony and breakdown what the royal family is expected to spend this time around.

1) Reception

This part of the celebration isn’t as expensive as it could be. Being the royal family has some perks, meaning they own a lot of gorgeous, historic castles and buildings. They also own fleets of cars, too. That means holding the reception at George’s Great Hall and using Queen Elizabeth’s fleet of Bentleys and Rolls-Royces for transportation won’t cost a dime.

Not every part of the reception will be free, though. According to sources, the cost of luxurious portable toilets will cost more than the average American wedding at $50,000! It’ll cost them $500,000 alone for the marquee. So, while they’re ‘saving money’ by not having to rent a place, the added costs are unfathomable!

2) Food and Catering

Could you imagine spending $70,000 on a wedding cake? That’s what the royal family just did, hiring the talents of famed pastry chef Clair Ptak from California. The catering for this event is estimated to hit nearly 700,000! That seems like a lot of money, but when you consider the bottles of Bollinger champagne, costing $115 EACH, then you start to see why it’s so expensive.

3) Entertainment

What’s a wedding with entertainment? And when you’re filthy rich as the royal family, you can virtually afford whoever you want. They’re expected to spend around $510,000 for various entertainment surprises. $129,000 of this is for the silver-plated trumpets, personalized for each guest.

They also expect to have choirs, photo booths, entertainment for the kids, a DJ, a band, and even a fireworks display worthy of royalty. For that much money spent on entertainment, let’s hope the band is good! (Rumors say Elton John is scheduled to perform)

4) Wedding Dress

We all know that the dress is one of the most important parts of the wedding. It’s also one of the most expensive. It can take a future bride several months to find the right dress for her. It’s unknown what the future princess paid for her dress, but estimates are up near the $500,000 mark.

5) Decorations and Favors

Another $700,000 was spent on the rest of the wedding, including the decorations, floral displays, invitations, seating, dance floor, security, party favors, lighting, photographers, and so on. I’m sure you can imagine a gorgeous Windsor Castle converted into a wedding palace fit for a fairytale.

The invitations alone were over $200,000 and printed in gold ink. Now that’s money!

Wedding Controversy

While the U.S. is anticipating this major event, a lot of U.K residents aren’t happy. A petition has been going around, stating that the royal wedding is nothing more than what should be a private event dressed up like a national occasion to justify spending tax dollars to cover the event.

While the royal family gets millions from the government, most of the wedding won’t be paid for by taxpayers. They will have to pay for the massive security to keep guests safe during a high-profile event, costing them $10 million.

The cost is also measured in economic output. During the 2011 royal wedding, there was a 1.6% drop in production, which amounted to $3.1 billion lost. We can expect the same to happen this time around, which makes a lot of people in the U.K. wonder why they still have a monarchy to this day.

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Americans Are Still Struggling to Afford Basic Needs

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Early last week, the United Way released a staggering report about the condition of the average American family. In it, it was revealed that 51 million households in the United States, about 43%, still can’t afford to take care of their basic needs.

These basic needs include food, health insurance, rent, transportation, and a cell phone.

The same study declares that 16.1 million households in the U.S. are living below the poverty line and 34.7 million who are considered limited income families, making less than what is required to pay the bills.

Several states have it worse than others. California, Hawaii, and New Mexico, for example, have half of their populations struggling to make ends meet. It’s difficult to imagine.

66% of workers make less than $20/hour, which means the large majority of people have very little, if anything, in their savings. If something bad were to happen, most Americans don’t even have access to $400 if they needed it.

If we break it down to the country level, then we start to see the discrepancy. Many counties in the U.S. are simply too expensive to live in. Not too long ago, a map of the country came out showing how much you had to make in each state just to cover the basics. A lot of the states were between $50,000-$80,000!

To make it in Seattle’s King County, you’d have to make over $40/hour to live there. If you weren’t bringing home $85,000 per year, you were living in poverty.

The homeless problem is so bad in Seattle, the city council just implemented a controversial tax on companies like Amazon to help get the homeless off the streets. Life is so expensive in San Francisco that the homeless line the streets for miles. There are literally apps that show you were to avoid human feces on the sidewalk due to the homeless situation in their city.

The economy is getting better and jobless numbers are going down, but it’s not enough. It doesn’t matter much if someone has a job if they aren’t making the money they need to even feed themselves.

There’s a reason why debt has reached all-time highs. People are borrowing more than ever just to catch up, but can’t afford to pay it back.

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Trump Says Trade War Off; China to Invest Heavily in U.S. Agriculture

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We’ve extensively covered all the news going down between China and the U.S. A trade war between the two economic superpowers is not a good idea for anyone. China knows that, as does the United States.

President Trump, once again, seemed to apply just enough pressure to get the outcome he desired. His first victory came over North Korea, who agreed to end the Korean War and step across the DMZ at the behest of Trump’s critics who warned his tactics would lead to a nuclear war.

Now, China also appears to be bowing to pressure from President Trump, agreeing not only to end threats of a trade war, but also to purchase “massive amounts” of agricultural products from U.S. farms.

China also agreed to sit down and create a new deal promising to address the massive trade deficit between them and the U.S., a problem President Trump has railed against since his campaign.

According to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, this increase in agricultural products should total an additional 40%, which is amazing news for farmers who were worried a trade war would severely hurt their income.

Stocks and Oil Prices

When news first broke that China and the U.S. were soon to be embroiled in a fight, it frightened a lot of investors. Stocks fell sharply after months of historic growth. Now that news of the trade war being behind them and new deals are in place, stocks rose early Monday morning, as did the price of oil.

For the first time since 2014, the price of oil hit the $80 per barrel mark.

OPEC and Russia agreed to cut supply, as well as promised economic sanctions on major oil producer Iran that has many experts believing we’ll see oil prices cross the $100 mark this summer, but now that the trade war talk is cooling, moods are shifting. Some of the pressure on the market is now going away.

“Both sides plan to work on implementing agriculture and energy purchases and to continue to negotiate on manufacturing and service trade, bilateral investment and intellectual property protection in coming months,” said U.S. bank Morgan Stanley.

Now that the U.S. and China are on the same page economically, it can only mean good things for both countries. Trump certainly has a way with getting things done, even if his methods make everyone else nervous.

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Millennials Get Angry When You Talk about Retirement

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Money can be a touchy subject with millennials. This is the generation that is getting hit the hardest with disabling student debt, low wages, and the recession, which hit right as they were graduating college.

It wasn’t an uncommon sight to see someone in the mid-20s and lower-30s, with a college degree, living at home with their parents. Those who are making it, are barely doing so. High rent prices and the cost of living constantly outpacing their ability to get raises has made life difficult for most of our younger generations.

When the website MarketWatch wrote a piece about how much money 35-year-olds should have saved up (about twice their salary to be safe), the fury was intense. There were many responses of varying degrees, from righteous indignation to jokes to cut the tension.

The message was clear. Millennials SHOULD be saving their money, but they simply can’t afford to. We recently wrote an article talking about how Americans still can’t afford their basic needs. This is a growing problem as debt keeps piling on and wages remain stagnant. Many families still have to make tough decisions and what they can afford and what has to wait.

If you can barely afford to feed yourself, you’re not going to have enough to save, especially if you’re paying insane interest rates on loans just to keep your head above water.

The sad reality is, we can’t talk about retirement enough. This is a subject no one should pass up just because it’s a difficult conversation. No matter what we’re dealing with right now, we need to keep it a part of our thinking and budget planning. In fact, it should be a priority.

There’s no one-size-fits all approach to saving for retirement. What you’re going to need and when you’re going to need it will vary per person, but if you haven’t even begun to address the issue in your 30s, you’re in danger to fall well short by retirement age.

Social Security is dwindling and no one knows how much longer it will last. Many experts aren’t even sure what the future of the program will look in the next 30 years. It’s not a program today’s millennials can take for granted or expect to still exist. They will have no choice but to invest their own dollars into their retirement plan.

That starts now.

There are two things people can do to ensure they’re in a good spot.

The first is to save as much as you can. Ideally, you should be putting away 15% of your monthly salary. If that’s impossible, trying to cut back as much as you can. Even 5% saved is better than nothing. As the economy improves and your situation is better under control, you can up the amount you save.

The second way to better prepare yourself for retirement is to take care of your debt. Don’t keep adding more to it just because you want that shiny new car. If you know things are tough and you can barely afford to save, paying a large debt that’s mostly interest isn’t a good idea.

As of this writing, the government has put in place several programs designed to help people pay back their student loans. Most people who qualify for these programs can have what they owe significantly reduced, as well as the time it takes to pay back these loans.

The sooner you pay down your loans, the more money you’re able to save. Nothing is more important than your future and the future of your family. Paying off debts and having extra money to put away is only the first step into gaining financial freedom.

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1 in 4 Americans Won’t Take a Vacation this Year

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After the brutally cold and snow winter, the days are finally getting longer and the warm weather is making its gradual return. As Memorial Day creeps up on us, so does the first day of summer.

Prom season is upon us and graduation is around the corner. This time of year is a busy, but exciting time all around. Families mostly look forward to summer for the numerous recreation opportunities that abound.

The problem is, a lot of families still won’t be able to afford a vacation. According to a new survey, 1-in-4 Americans can’t afford to go on a vacation, even if they have paid vacation days. The situation is so frustrating, that only 36% of people said they don’t even plan on using all their days this year. 13% said they won’t use any days at all.

It’s not all about being unable to afford a trip, either. In a lot of cases, the economy is booming and businesses are experiencing a labor shortage. If there’s not enough help, then workers may decide to take advantage of the need and work through their vacation time to earn more money. Some strongly feel falling behind at work will cost them in the end.

But not taking a vacation is as good as leaving money on the table. While a lot of Americans seem reluctant to take vacations, they’re very important for a variety of reasons. If you get paid to take days off, then you should do it!

Vacations, even long weekends, are great for your health, will prevent burnout, and can increase your productivity. The problem is, these benefits only work if you actually take a break from your work.

61% of people claimed to do work while they were on vacation and reported all sorts of ill effects, such as higher levels of exhaustion and burnout, compared to people who took a real break they considered “highly recuperative”, even to the point of feeling more satisfied with their lives.

Whiling taking a vacation is highly suggested, if you’re the 1-in-4 who simply can’t afford a vacation, here are a few ways you can save throughout the year to ensure you get some necessary time off:

1) Don’t Choose Heavily Populated Areas

Sometimes, the best places to get away to are off the beaten path. Going on a long weekend camping trip up the road might be best. It gets you out of the office and communing with nature while allowing for family time.

You might consider theme parks or areas where a lot of other people go, but those types of places tend to be expensive to visit. Choosing the right location can save your bundle and have the same desired effect.

2) Plan Your Vacation Well Ahead of Time

Don’t be that person who waits until it’s almost summer to start planning that vacation. If you can plan well ahead of time, it gives you a better chance to save more money knowing what to expect. Also, you can book tickets cheaper the further out you go.

3) Use Cash

It might be tempting to put everyone on credit, but that will make the vacation much more expensive than you might realize. Not only will you have to pay the interest, a lot of credit cards have extra fees for using your card away from home. This is especially true if you leave the country. Cash is best so you can budget exactly what you need and not break the bank.

4) It’s Great for Your Health

Again, a lot of people fear taking vacations for a variety of reasons, but usually at a cost of lost production and increased burnout. Scientists discuss the benefits of getting that much needed break and they include better heart health, higher production when you return, better quality of life, and an overall reduction of stress.

Taking a vacation is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Most people who end up skipping it, even if they don’t think they can afford it, often regret it. Even if you can’t afford to leave on a trip, do yourself a favor and find time to relax. You won’t be sorry.

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The Real Cost of Pet Ownership

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It’s spring! When spring hits, it tends to bring about a renewed interest in pet ownership. New kittens and puppies are being born, and who doesn’t like baby animals? Raising a pet can be a great experience, but not everything about it is snuggles and warm fuzzies.

There’s a lot of responsibility and money that goes into owning a pet, which a lot of people don’t realize when they adopt their new furry friend. That’s why thousands of critters get taken back to shelters each year, often at the cost of their lives. Most of these pets rarely make it out the shelter alive.

Not to mention, bringing home a pet only to take it back home because it was tougher than you thought isn’t fair to the animal. That’s why it’s super important to do your research before deciding on pet ownership and not just reacting on impulse.

Yes, that puppy is cute, but if you’re struggle to keep your own head above the water, then you’re not going to be ready for the financial burden that having a pet can place on you.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the expected costs, some of which you might not realize are there until it’s too late.

Adoption Fees:

Unless you have a friend who is looking to get rid of a litter of kittens, you’re going to have to pay an adoption fee. Shelters and pet stores definitely want to make a profit and don’t give away pets for free. The adoption fee can vary, depending on the animal you want to adopt.

Kittens don’t usually get more expensive than $100, but dogs are a different story altogether. If you go with a breeder, it can set you back thousands. According to The Dog Digest, the most expensive breed of dogs is called “Löwchens” and can cost as much as $10,000!

These prices are only the beginning of your pet owning journey!

Spay/Neuter Costs

If you do decide to with the free options and take a pet from a litter that was birthed under your friend’s porch, then you’ll have to spay and neuter them (or risk more litters of critters being born under your porch). If you go with a shelter, then the odds are likely they’ve already taken care of this for you (and it can often reflect in the price).

Vaccinations are also a part of this process. All of this can cost you between $150-$200. Dogs can cost more at around $300. Sometimes, various cities and towns have opportunities for pet owners to bring their furry friends in for free to take care of this issue in an effort to keep the stray population as low as possible. Bob Barker would be proud!

General Upkeep

Outside of one-time costs, you’ll have to pay for general upkeep. A lot of these will be recurring, like feeding your pet. That can be a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly expense, depending on the animal. That’s $20-$40 right there.

Grooming supplies, flea care and prevention, litter, and toys are all recurring costs and it can vary from month to month. You’ll need water and food bowls, leashes, new collars about every year, and a crate. If you add in regular vet visits, these can all total to hundreds of dollars per year.

Other Hidden Costs

In the back of your mind, you often think pet ownership will be easy. All you have to do is water, feed, and pet your animal. How hard can that be! But the financial toll of having a pet can be a lot more than people realize.

For example, if you live in an apartment, they’ll want a pet deposit, somewhere around $250. If your pet wrecks your place, there will be the cost of repairs. Kittens and puppies especially do not know their place and will chew and claw up whatever they can get their hands on.

Some cities require a yearly tax or license fee if you own a dog.

Do you plan on training your animals? That can set you back hundreds.

What if you want to go on vacation? Do you have someone who owes you a favor and can cat-sit/dog-sit for you? If not, a kennel is expensive. Dog walking services cost daily.

Then, there’s the health of your pet to consider. Do you have a few hundred dollars saved if your pet needs an emergency trip to the vet? What if it turns out they have food allergies and can’t eat the regular, bargain pet foods that exist?

Pet ownership is not something you should take lightly. These costs are just basic necessities for cats and dogs. Things tend to get much more expensive the more exotic your pet gets. Parents often love to get rabbits for their kids around Easter time, but most end up dead within a year because a cute idea turns into major work and expenses they weren’t prepared for.

It’s important to take your time, crunch your numbers, and do good research before buying a pet.

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