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by Hope

I’m sure this post is going to have readers slapping their foreheads at my decisions and priorities again. So just wanted to start off by saying, I realize that spending money on pets is not everyone’s priorities, and I feel that I have fairly reasonable boundaries on acceptable spending in this category.

I have 5 dogs. Down from 7 earlier this year. Their food costs around $150 per month. And once a year, they all get the required shots which typically runs about $30-50 per dog at the local Tractor Supply.

My Heart Dog

Addie is my heart dog. I got her off Facebook as a puppy for free about 2/1/2 years ago. And fell in love.

I don’t know if the statement about having a favorite child applies to dogs, but she is hands down my favorite. She has travelled with me to Texas twice this year, sleeps with me, sits with me when I’m working, crying, whatever.

A few weeks ago, during one of my “most broke” weeks, I needed to take Addie to the vet. I had held out as long as I could, tried all sorts of over the counter remedies, etc. but it became apparent that nothing was working. I was about a week out from getting another paycheck. And had no money.

I called the vet to make an appointment. After letting them know the symptoms, etc. they asked if I could bring her that day. Of course, I could, I’ve got a lot of time on my hands in the afternoons. But I couldn’t pay them, anything.

I was upfront about the financial situation and asked if I could write a post-dated check. The receptionist said she would have to check and would call me back.

In the end, they agreed to accept the post-dated check, and Addie was seen that afternoon. She was put on anti-biotics, steroids, and another medication. Two weeks later, she is right as rain. And this dog mama is so relieved.

That post-dated $200 check hurts in a lot of ways financially. But for my mental and emotional health – worth every single penny!

Pet Insurance

When we got Cali, Sophie and Murphy 6 years ago from the Humane Society, they came with 1 year of “pet insurance” or something like that. Murphy was Princess’ dog, a Chihuahua that was OLD when we got him. Within a week, he was having seizures and come to find out also heart issues. That “insurance” covered NOTHING. It was such a waste, so I’m glad it wasn’t an expense.

But since then, I don’t even consider health insurance for pets. Do you?

I am so blessed to have had very healthy animals. And when the dogs were fosters, all those expenses were covered anyways. We had to let go of Murphy earlier this year. I cannot remember if I wrote about it. He had been living with Princess at school and it was time. I am so grateful for the compassionate and affordable service the Humane Society provided when it was time to say good bye. He is buried in our side yard.

What is your personal experience with pet health insurance? And how do you cap what you spend on your furry family members?

Hope

Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.

But life has a way of rewriting your plans.

A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.

Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.

Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.

She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.