3 Inexpensive Gifts for Pets and Their Owners

By Katie McCaskey, <a rel="nofollow" title="Manage Your Money - For Free" href="http://www.geezeo.com">Geezeo.com</a><br><br><p>Caring for a pet can be a costly endeavor. There are the basic needs like food and health check-ups. And there are all the “fun” expenses, too.</p> <p><img src="http://geezeo-cms.s3.amazonaws.com/PetChristmasGifts.jpg" alt="PetChristmasGifts.jpg" border="0" height="263" width="350"> </p> <p>If you have a pet or pet-owner on your holiday list, here are three simple ideas that would be appreciated:</p> <p><strong>1. Give the gift of pet food or care products.</strong> Sure, a 50 lb bag of dog food isn’t as cute as a knitted dog sweater, but, most pet owners would appreciate the gesture. Care items could include flea collars or other items that are regularly used. Putting together a “care package” shows you respect the bond between owner and pet.</p> <p><strong>2. Give the gift of medical care or pet insurance.</strong> If you know someone who owns an animal but who cannot afford a basic health procedure you can frequently buy gift certificates at the vet office. No one has to be in dire financial circumstances to appreciate a discount when caring for the family pet. Similarly, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.geezeo.com/2008/06/is-your-pet-like-a-child-to-you/">a pet insurance policy</a> shows you care and you don’t even need to wrap it.<br> <strong><br> 3. Give the gift of time or monetary donation to ASPCA or other program.</strong> Tough economic times means more and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.geezeo.com/2008/05/how-much-does-your-best-friend-cost/">more pets are being “dumped” by their owners</a> for fear of their associated costs. Give money in the name of someone you love to the ASPCA or other worthy animal organization. You can choose how much to give and the results will be appreciated by humans and non-humans alike. (Plus, you may be eligible to include your gift to a non-profit as a tax write-off. Consult your tax professional.) </p> <p>Finally, if you are a pet owner make sure you contribute a little bit of money to a side fund that you can tap into when those big vet bills arrive. You never know when you’ll need it. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.geezeo.com/user/signup">Create a basic budget</a> to find the extra dollars to put aside each week. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.geezeo.com/g/view_topic?topic_id=1970">More ideas and discussion on practical holiday gifts here.</a></p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.geezeo.com/g/view_topic?topic_id=1970"><br></a></p><h3>Random Posts</h3><ul> <li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.geezeo.com/2008/08/in-a-hole-five-steps-to-stop-digging/" title="In a Hole? Five Steps to Stop Digging.">In a Hole? Five Steps to Stop Digging. (2)</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.geezeo.com/2008/11/3-tips-for-the-credit-card-crisis/" title="3 Tips for the Credit Card Crisis">3 Tips for the Credit Card Crisis (1)</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.geezeo.com/2008/08/how-to-pay-extra-on-your-mortgage-save-money/" title="How to Pay Extra on Your Mortgage, Save Money">How to Pay Extra on Your Mortgage, Save Money (5)</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.geezeo.com/2007/08/51-tips-about-credit-cards/" title="51 tips about credit cards">51 tips about credit cards (0)</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://blog.geezeo.com/2008/01/generation-debt-take-control-of-your-money-a-how-to-guide/" title="Generation Debt: Take Control of Your Money, A How-To Guide">Generation Debt: Take Control of Your Money, A How-To Guide (4)</a></li> </ul>