Costs, both financially and emotionally, vary widely from species to species, breed to breed, and from owner to owner. A few are optional or up to interpretation (i.e. the types of food, toys and treats), but there is definitely still a large cost associated with each and every pet.
For one, pets will generally live 10-15+ years, and they require you to make the commitment to keeping them and keeping them in good health throughout their life. This can be one of the hardest things to remember when you're perusing the kennels and glass cages, looking in at all of the cute, furry faces. Pet ownership is definitely not something to be taken lightly!
I prefer using Excel to track expected costs because I can easily input food costs and formulas to total things up for me nicely. One of the most beneficial things I found to truly estimate costs were...
For example, the costs for my two kittens are laid out below:
1. Rescuing from the shelter (includes neuter, microchip and all vaccines and vet checks) $80/ea.
-Typically the neuter, microchip, vet visits and vaccines cost between $2-400 per kitten
-There is health insurance availabe, but they are anywhere from $30-50 a month
2. Cat carrier & Food bowls (this is all up to taste - I went pretty cheap on food bowls) $50
3. Food & Litter (this is one of those things that vary, however in my experience the more that you spend on food, the less you spend on vet bills and health related expenses, I buy premium food) $35+/month
4. Declaw (this is OPTIONAL) $250/kitten for all four; $90/kitten for front paws
5. Litter box & Scoop (non-automated is MUCH cheaper, but you lose convenience) $15
6. Toys & Catnip (also OPTIONAL - I tend to buy more and more often) $10/month
7. Annual vet bills (these include any tests and vaccines they need and a yearly exam) $45/kitten
* Cat Furniture, Beds and other optional items will increase the yearly totals and the life-long cost of your pet, but if you want to pamper... they're nice options.*
Total Yearly Estimable Cost: $1,000-1,500
For a large dog, some things change:
1. Purchase from a reputable breeder (this can help rule out a lot of gentic diseases and other risks you want to avoid with a specialty dog - and this will depend upon the breed) $200-800/puppy
-This cost will generally include all preliminary vaccines, neuter/spay, sometimes food & microchip
-Rescuing from a shelter will cost anywhere from $20-$300/dog but you generally will not get a puppy, you run the risk of problems already being present, but you do get the benefits of above
2. Grooming Supplies (brushes, shampoo, nail clipping, coat clipping,etc.) $45/month
3. Food (depends upon the type - I prefer premium because it typically cuts down on vet bills) $40-60/month
4. Leash/Collar & Tags $30
5. Kennel, Bed, Potty Pick up Bags, etc. (Purely OPTIONAL - but it's usually a one time cost)) $200-400
6. Annual Vet Bills $50-100/puppy
*Dogs are typically more expensive because there is more you need to take care of than a cat*
Total Yearly Estimable Cost: $1,500-2,000
Below are additional links to websites to help you decide what size, breed and species might be the best for your budget:
http://www.aspca.org/Home/Adoption/pet-care-costs
http://www.petfinder.com/after-pet-adoption/estimated-yearly-costs-pet.html
http://www.mint.com/blog/consumer-iq/the-lifetime-costs-of-pets-042012/
http://www.moneyunder30.com/the-true-cost-of-pet-ownership
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