People spend a lot on pets!

[Captain Cactus]

The pet/veterinary industry is getting quite big.  Fascinating developments this week with Mars and Boeringer Ingelheim.

Is pet ownership "mustacian"?

How much do you spend on pets?

[cerberusss]

If you're happy on your own, don't get a pet. It's a hassle as well as a money pit.

On the other hand, a pet can definitely raise your general well-being. I've got one (pre-mustachian) and I love my cat.

However, I'm not in the camp of spending a lot of money on it. You make sure it's fed, you can cuddle, you can have fun but in the end, it's just an animal. Having grown up near farms, that's just the way I think. I don't mean I'm going to let an animal suffer, far from it. But I'm not going to spend hundreds of dollars on a vet.

[tarheeldan]

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/09/07/great-news-dog-ownership-is-optional/


I have a small dog. It's expensive because of boarding when I travel. Otherwise only $250/yr or so.

[Iplawyer]

Our cats, who died at 16 (stomach cancer) and 19 (old age) were part of our family.  We did not spare expense when they got old and sick to make them comfortable - just like we would do for a family member.  We spend thousands per year their last few years.  I'd happily do it all over again.  They added millions of dollars of value to our lives.

[CheapScholar]

I have a small dog.  Doesn't eat much and my inlaws luckily watch him when we vacation.  The vet bills aren't fun to pay but they don't exactly break my budget - but there's certainly a risk he could need some kind of surgery some day.

I guess it's one of those things in life.  Having a dog has been a good experience for my family.   It'll cost a few grand over the 10-15 years it lives but I'd say it's a justified expense.  I'm not a crazy pet person either, I could easily do without.

I have one FB friend with 2 dogs and 2 cats.  She has posted quite a bit of post-operation pet pictures and she buys them really expensive treats and toys.  I don't get that. 

[Lski'stash]

I have a corgi and a cat. The cat is pre-MMM days, but the dog isn't. Being a teacher, I was going a little nuts in the summer while my husband was at work (side-note, pretty sure I'd be a terrible stay-at-home mom). The dog helps that a lot, and has really just brought a lot of joy into our lives.

I have so far spent around $2,000 per year on the dog and cat together, and am working on lowering that. I read somewhere on another post about pets that a pet can cost up to 10 years of FIRE time, depending on how much you spend and want to live off of. To recap, pets are not mustachian if FIRE is the goal, but because mustachianism is about spending on what is truly valuable to you, pets are definitely mustachian if FIRE is not an immediate goal.

[katscratch]

So far in my adult life I've had three cats that each lived over 20 years and currently have one 15 year old dog and one adult cat.

I spend more than an average pet owner on food, and I do have their teeth cleaned under anesthesia yearly once they're developing tartar (around 7 for my cats; my dog is a breed that tends to have periodontal disease early).  Having worked in veterinary medicine before, those things are non-optional for me as a pet owner. 

I also, like ddmesser, spend more towards the end of their life and budget accordingly.  I am personally opposed to keeping pets alive once their quality of life is diminished, but if a few hundred dollars keeps them happy when their body is just starting to decline, no problem. 

I've found that finding a veterinarian that is on the same page as I am regarding medication, etc, keeps the cost down. For example, I will spend extra to always do screening bloodwork before anesthesia, but I will price shop for routine meds. My vet is totally on board with this and it's great to work with a provider that offers me options rather than always trying to sell me a service.

[Mezzie]

My husband's an animal person, and I'd never had a pet. We started with goldfish (who lived seven years and got huge!). Then a year after we got our house, we got a Corgi (husband wanted me to have a good first dog experience, and they're easy to train). Shortly after, I developed my disability. Having a dog has helped me through that, honestly. I spent a lot of time resting per my doctors' orders, and my dog was my constant companion. She's an expensive little pup, but worth every cent. I think we spent about $1500 last year on food, vet, grooming, registration, and incidentals. We probably saved about $500 overall since taking her to the dog park is fun, cheap entertainment compared to, say, going to the movies or a restaurant. Net cost: $1,000.

Our renters/roommates also have a dog, so we no longer have to pay for boarding when we travel (and neither do they), so that's nice.

[Roots&Wings]

I'm averaging $88/mo for my small dog. The health benefits alone (forced exercise, 1+ hr walks/day, companionship, silliness) are worth it for me.

[Dave1442397]

We have a dog, and it costs $28/day to board him when we go away, plus yearly vet bills. He probably eats as much in fruit and leftovers as he does in dog food, so that's not a big expense.

We'll have had him for seven years next month, and I must have walked at least 5,000 miles with him by now.

[Fomerly known as something]

Mine got more expensive last year.  One of my 3 cats developed diabetes, so outside of the initial diagnosis our monthly carrying costs are about $200-$250.  (Includes daily medications for the diabetic and diabetic friendly food for all 3).  Annual physicals are another $600 all in.

More one off costs.  They all need Dental cleanings this year so that is going to be an extra $2000-3000 in total.  My diabetic likely will need a yearly cleaning but the other two are having their first in 10 years.    The sugar kittens initial diagnosis with diabetes cost about $1000.  They have their own "emergency fund" instead of pet insurance which covers these costs.  I actually fully funded it to a substantial level and stopped contributing to the fun years ago and only restarted adding money to it last year when I used money from it.

I travel quite a bit for work and until I moved closer to my parents 4 years ago I'd pay $15-20 a day for a pet sitter to visit daily.  (Normally that cost would be covered by the food per Diem established by work, we get a set amount not actual cost above that amount is your problem if you save it it's yours.)   

So yeah they are expensive.

[Helvegen]

We have a cat. Start up costs 2.5 years ago were around $1k. $500 non-refundable pet deposit, $120 shelter adoption fees, $200 vet visits (had to take him to the kitty ER a week after we got him), $150 in cat care items/toys/food/carrier/etc.

Ongoing maintenance costs are about $15 a month in canned food, $10 a month in cat litter, $6 a month in dry food (sort of a splurge item - $35 a 15lb bag, but lasts about 6 months), $7-8 a month in Advantage flea control. Cat is strictly indoor only, but fleas figure out how to get in anyway. I budget about $25 a month in health care costs in a 'cat hsa'. He is a young, healthy cat and needs nothing now, but the fact that he will need increasingly more health care as he ages as inevitable for him as it is for any human, so no time like the present to start planning for the future.

Irregular costs are mainly boarding. I think we pay something like $17 bucks a day for the place we take him.  Other random costs are the occasional new toy or catnip.

He is a member of the family. We look forward to seeing him when we get home. On my phone, the background pic is of my daughter and my cat chilling together on the couch. He occasionally does things to annoy us like scratch the speaker covers, likes to piss on clean, unfolded laundry, and of course the time we found out indoor cats can have fleas too. But my daughter also has destroyed things, gets on my nerves occasionally, and costs money, but I'm not getting rid of her either. :p They both add value to my husband and I's lives.

Overall, I can think of bigger things in the way of FIRE than my cat.

[marble_faun]

Having a pet might not help anyone save money, but to me it is so worth it!  I love my silly little dog.

When we first got the dog, we acquired some equipment (crate, bed, leash, a couple toys, etc.)  Pre-Mustachianism we spent a lot on dog daycare, which I canceled soon after discovering this web site.  Since then we've spent very little for regular dog-maintenance. The dog goes to the vet every once in a while and eats dry food from huge bulk bags.  We reward her with tiny treats that don't cost too much.

Someone else mentioned travel -- to me, this is the only serious financial downside/inconvenience. We have to pay another person to take care of her when we are gone and deal with all of those logistics.

[boarder42]

We spend 70 a month on dog food for 2 dogs 160lbs and 90lbs. Then we spend around 400 a year on vet bills. It's not a huge expense on our salaries.

[JLee]

I desperately miss having a cat. I'm moving in 2 weeks to a place where I can have one again and I will, cost be damned.

My last little guy passed in 2014.

http://i.imgur.com/ov9rVf7.jpg

[Dave1442397]

I desperately miss having a cat. I'm moving in 2 weeks to a place where I can have one again and I will, cost be damned.

My last little guy passed in 2014.

http://i.imgur.com/ov9rVf7.jpg

He was a cutie!

[RetiredAt63]

We have a dog, and it costs $28/day to board him when we go away, plus yearly vet bills. He probably eats as much in fruit and leftovers as he does in dog food, so that's not a big expense.

We'll have had him for seven years next month, and I must have walked at least 5,000 miles with him by now.

Cute!  Must disappear when he is in the snow  ;-)  American Eskimo? Samoyed?

[Step37]

I agree that pets can be mustachian; as another poster said, it's all about defining priorities. My husband and I have two small dogs (20 lbs total), and it would be impossible to put a dollar amount on the amount of joy, love and entertainment they bring to our lives.

The food and basic vet costs are not much for these little ones (approx $75/mo), even with the highest quality food. Grooming has averaged $60/month for the past several years, but this year I'm planning to take that on myself (clippers are bought!). We have also only once in probably ten years needed to pay for a dogsitter, since we can rely on my sister-in-law or my parents (we look after each of their dogs when they go away, too, so that's perfect).

It's the non-regular vet costs that get expensive. Dental work (not annually, just when needed, under anesthesia, so $800-1200), knee surgery ($2400!), got into something on a walk (still no idea what), so a four-day stint at the emergency vet (of COURSE it happened on a weekend!, $3500ish). We have room for this in the budget/emergency fund and would basically spend what it took to fix any issue (provided there would be a good quality of life, of course).

[Al1961]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

[Monkey Uncle]

We have a gray-banded king snake.  Last year we spent a total of $43.75 on frozen feeder mice.  We took him to the vet once about 15 years ago (turned out the behavior we were worried about was normal, so no treatment needed).

He eats about once every two weeks from March through September.  He hides under his newspaper and doesn't eat during the fall and winter.  He craps roughly three times between each feeding, mostly during the first week.  So if we time it right, we can go away for up to a week at a time during spring/summer (longer during winter) without needing anyone to check on him.  We have a friend who will check on him if necessary while we're gone.

He won't catch a Frisbee or play with a ball of yarn, but we do handle him on a regular basis, and we even take him out for walks when it's time for him to do his business.  He's very calm and not skittish at all.  When he's hungry or wants to go outside, he will seek us out when we walk into the room where his aquarium is located.  He likes to be cuddled, but he hates to take a bath (which is only necessary we let him crap in his cage and he crawls through it before we discover it).  I swear he has facial expressions.

He's fun and we love him, but he doesn't require constant attention like a dog or cat, and we don't feel the least bit guilty if we ignore him for a few days.

[Dave1442397]

We have a dog, and it costs $28/day to board him when we go away, plus yearly vet bills. He probably eats as much in fruit and leftovers as he does in dog food, so that's not a big expense.

We'll have had him for seven years next month, and I must have walked at least 5,000 miles with him by now.

Cute!  Must disappear when he is in the snow  ;-)  American Eskimo? Samoyed?

American Eskimo, yes. He  does love his snow!

[Cookie78]

I spent $130/month in 2015
and $178/month in 2016 for one dog.

This year I have two dogs. Worth every penny. This year I'm looking at ways to reduce the costs, without reducing their quality of life. My vet costs are likely inflated due to location, and after FIRE I think they will go down. Living in a rural area the vet costs should be less, and no requirement to licence. Also, I will have more time to supplement their diet with home made food from garden and hunting, reducing food costs. And with the exception of one 3 week overseas vacation this year, I'm not planning any trips that my dogs can't come with me for a long time, so limited boarding costs.

[Cookie78]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

What are your experiences with this? I've always been terrified at the though due to horror stories about flying with dogs, though I'm sure bad events are rare.

[Helvegen]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

I think that is one of the biggest downsides to having a cat - they aren't particularly good travelers. My cat definitely hates the car and has panic attacks where he hyperventilates until he vomits. Not looking forward to the next boarding trip in a few weeks, but leaving him at home is not an option either.

[Kris]

Pets and children are definitely not mustachian.

But hey, not everything is about being frugal. You can't anticipate medical costs, for example, but with pets and children both, you can decide what you do and don't think makes sense in terms of spending money on them.

I think it's harder with kids, though, because there's so much social pressure to sign them up for all the expensive B.S. that all the other kids/families are doing. At least with pets, people aren't haranguing you saying that Fluffy "deserves" to go to an expensive soccer camp, or "needs" a third grade graduation outfit.

[Al1961]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

What are your experiences with this? I've always been terrified at the though due to horror stories about flying with dogs, though I'm sure bad events are rare.

Our girl is very calm, but we still give her a tranquilizer before we head to the airport.  She gets to stay on a leash and try to make friends with everyone in the airport until we have to turn the kennel over to the baggage handlers (and yes, there is a FULL security inspection of the kennel before this happens). When we get to the destination, she comes out of the kennel right away, and seems non the worse for the experience.

We've seen other dogs who do not enjoy the experience - howling pitifully once in the kennel.

We're taking her on another flight next month. Time to get her used to going in and out of the kennel again.

Al

[aspiringnomad]

We have two cats even though I've always been a dog person. They have different personalities and length of time with us, so one has truly become a family member and the other is still sort of just a helpless pet-fed-by-owner relationship, but we're in a position to spend whatever necessary to make sure both are comfortable into old age, so we would. No health issues lately for either (knock on wood), so the expense is really minimal on a monthly basis <$100 all-in, but vet visits are super expensive around here. Agree with others who say that the biggest drawbacks to cats are that you can't really bring them anywhere, but for now that's outweighed by the ease of ownership relative to dogs and the fact that we live in a 1 BR condo.

Someday, maybe post-FIRE, I dream of volunteering at or running a small non-profit animal rescue. I really like animals.

[Al1961]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

I think that is one of the biggest downsides to having a cat - they aren't particularly good travelers. My cat definitely hates the car and has panic attacks where he hyperventilates until he vomits. Not looking forward to the next boarding trip in a few weeks, but leaving him at home is not an option either.

Yup.

We have two ancient cats (going on 20). They stay home when we travel. Son is often home with them, or daughter comes over to look after them. They do not travel well. One poops within 5 minutes of getting in the car. EVERY. DAMN. TIME. Guess who wants to vomit.

We'll be driving all animals out to Vancouver Island when we move this summer.

[JLee]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

I think that is one of the biggest downsides to having a cat - they aren't particularly good travelers. My cat definitely hates the car and has panic attacks where he hyperventilates until he vomits. Not looking forward to the next boarding trip in a few weeks, but leaving him at home is not an option either.

They can be, though!

http://www.adventurecats.org/

[Cromacster]

I have a dog.  Yes, feeding him and keeping him healthy is more expensive than not owning a dog.

The most expensive part about him is the time I spend training him.  He's my home alarm and security system, so at least he's earning his keep.  I also help train other dogs in a similar manner so I get exercise doing that as well.

[Cookie78]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

What are your experiences with this? I've always been terrified at the though due to horror stories about flying with dogs, though I'm sure bad events are rare.

Our girl is very calm, but we still give her a tranquilizer before we head to the airport.  She gets to stay on a leash and try to make friends with everyone in the airport until we have to turn the kennel over to the baggage handlers (and yes, there is a FULL security inspection of the kennel before this happens). When we get to the destination, she comes out of the kennel right away, and seems non the worse for the experience.

We've seen other dogs who do not enjoy the experience - howling pitifully once in the kennel.

We're taking her on another flight next month. Time to get her used to going in and out of the kennel again.

Al

Do you have specific airlines you'd prefer to deal with when you are with your pets? Any concerns about treatment or safety?

I have two dogs who are both great in kennels, but neither are calm in general. One is incredibly anxious around new people and places, the other is over-excited about people, and crazy excited about other animals. They may both be ok with a tranquilizer.

[Cromacster]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

What are your experiences with this? I've always been terrified at the though due to horror stories about flying with dogs, though I'm sure bad events are rare.

Our girl is very calm, but we still give her a tranquilizer before we head to the airport.  She gets to stay on a leash and try to make friends with everyone in the airport until we have to turn the kennel over to the baggage handlers (and yes, there is a FULL security inspection of the kennel before this happens). When we get to the destination, she comes out of the kennel right away, and seems non the worse for the experience.

We've seen other dogs who do not enjoy the experience - howling pitifully once in the kennel.

We're taking her on another flight next month. Time to get her used to going in and out of the kennel again.

Al

Do you have specific airlines you'd prefer to deal with when you are with your pets? Any concerns about treatment or safety?

I have two dogs who are both great in kennels, but neither are calm in general. One is incredibly anxious around new people and places, the other is over-excited about people, and crazy excited about other animals. They may both be ok with a tranquilizer.

Delta is not a good airline for dogs.  They now ship them as freight, so you have to drop them off at the cargo terminal atleast 2 hours before your flight, then pick them up at the cargo facility at your destinations, which is most likely not connected to the terminal at the airport.

[Gondolin]

I would love to get a dog but, my apartment complex charges $500 + $75 dollars a month in pet fees per pet. So....nope.

[Kathryn K.]

One thing I don't think I've seen mentioned is that vet costs can vary hugely so it really pays to shop around, or even go a little outside your immediate area to a location that is lower COL since vet bills will also be accordingly lower.

Also, take the suggestions of your vet with a grain of salt; especially in small animal practices how they make their money is by upselling you additional treatments or procedures.

I currently have one dog and have a background of showing both dogs and horses so I enjoy animals and will spend money on them but for something that's purely a companion animal I personally don't believe in sinking a lot of money into it (e.g. no insulin shots for an elderly cat for me).

[RetiredAt63]

Do you have specific airlines you'd prefer to deal with when you are with your pets? Any concerns about treatment or safety?

WestJet is good for Canadians. 

[BDWW]

$40/month for food and $250/year for shots for 2 dogs (90lbs and 55lbs). Works out to ~$61 bucks a month.

[Al1961]

Our dog goes with us on vacation. It costs $150 (round trip) to have her fly with us as checked baggage, so it's a screaming deal compared to a month at a boarding kennel. We only travel to places she can go.

http://imgur.com/m1y4nXy.jpg

What are your experiences with this? I've always been terrified at the though due to horror stories about flying with dogs, though I'm sure bad events are rare.

Our girl is very calm, but we still give her a tranquilizer before we head to the airport.  She gets to stay on a leash and try to make friends with everyone in the airport until we have to turn the kennel over to the baggage handlers (and yes, there is a FULL security inspection of the kennel before this happens). When we get to the destination, she comes out of the kennel right away, and seems non the worse for the experience.

We've seen other dogs who do not enjoy the experience - howling pitifully once in the kennel.

We're taking her on another flight next month. Time to get her used to going in and out of the kennel again.

Al

Do you have specific airlines you'd prefer to deal with when you are with your pets? Any concerns about treatment or safety?

I have two dogs who are both great in kennels, but neither are calm in general. One is incredibly anxious around new people and places, the other is over-excited about people, and crazy excited about other animals. They may both be ok with a tranquilizer.

We've only used Westjet. When you are traveling with the animal, they go as checked baggage. There are specific requirements for the kennel (available on the airline website). It's the airport staff that actually move the kennels, not the airline. Weight limit is 100 lbs for animal and kennel combined as baggage. We have about 4 lbs. to spare.  Just shipping a dog alone is cargo - identical to Delta as posted above.

If the animal is small enough that the kennel fits under the seat, it's carry on, and flies FREE on Westjet. So maybe a cat, Yorkie or some form of "purse dog".

[Retire-Canada]

1 cat - rescued from crazy ex-GF so cost $0.

- litter = $25/month
- food = $60/month
- cat sitting = $300/yr

So $1320/yr CAD or $1002 USD.  We could buy cheaper food, but she likes to eat like a Queen and I'm okay with that. Litter could be cheaper, but until I FIRE saving time by buying what's handy at my local grocery store makes sense to me.

No kids. So saved a few million $$ there and I am happy to spend a few $$ on my cat. She is an excellent return on my investment in terms of happiness vs. cost.

[hunniebun]

It seems that in the US there must be some great discounted options for pet food. I have two cats and buy both canned and dry food on sale, plus costco cat litter and it is over 100$ per month. Add to that the annual vet check ups at 250$ each and we are at 1700$ per year.  They are both getting older with failing health and this is something I am starting be concerned with. I don't want them to suffer, but at the same time, I don't want to spend a fortune.   

I second the motion that kids and pets are expensive, but offer other benefits that can't be measured in dollars and cents.  I would also add that many people get pets per-children, almost as a trial run in responsibility...and when kids come along, the pets tend to take a back seat.  As much as I love my furry friends, I wish I could tell my 20 something self to post-pone the pet experience. 

[PoppyField]

I spend about $40 a month on cat food and $10 on cat liter.  My cat is a 7 year old rescue that I took in a year ago.  The shelter paid her medical costs when I got her.  I have a vet that I can barter with for some things such as general visits but not end of life care or medication.  I may look into pet insurance but I have started a Capitol One account for vet care and am putting $5/week in there.  I can't imagine not having a pet.  I do know several people who take in elderly dogs and cats who are sick and in the hospice program and the vet costs are covered for them by the shelter, but I am sure you still have to pay for food.

[SJS]

A.Lot.  :-)  We have two cats purchased from a breeder @ $600 each.  Vet bills, food do add up.  Last two cats (same breed) one was a diabetic.  Insulin, needles, test strips, speciality vet, etc really added up.  BUT.........we don't have kids, so still cheaper than having kids!  We are financially independent, early retirees. 
Pet-sitting is BIG business - if you are looking to pick up a extra cash.  Dog-walking, cat-watching can be lucrative, if you are a pet-lover & do a good job.  Referrals are a must.  We pay our cat sitter well, because she takes such good care of our furry kids! 

[Lanthiriel]

I have two dogs that probably cost me about $200/mo. They're worth every penny. I've said it in these forums before, but they're my favorite thing about my life. We walk, we play, we snuggle, I talk to them when no one else is around. They productively fill up a lot of my spare time. It can be challenging to travel with or away from them, but other than those times, I don't find any of their needs onerous--even the expensive ones.

[Tako]

My parents had dogs for about twenty years, just having a healthy dog does not cost a lot. The 15kg bag of dog food are not that expensive if you go for the cheap ones and if you're lucky you won't spend too much at the vet.

Pro :
Dogs are great

Cons :
- Going on vacation with the dog is complicated and not taking him costs money unless you have some neighbor or family ready to keep a dog for one or two weeks.
- After ten years of healthy life our last dog had diabetes for two years before dying. He became blind, incontinent, needed expensive food and low fat meat with it because he didn't like the expensive food. We also needed to take him more often to the vet and he needed daily insulin injections.

Of course I think it would have been possible to avoid diabetes if we didn't give him the leftover everyday, but this is just an example. Having a dog can become very expensive even if you don't buy ridiculous accessories.

[stashmeister1]

I've spent a small fortune on dogs, but they are my primary hobby.  I probably spend 20-30 hours a week on this hobby, which is very competitive.  Yes, I could not spend money on them, but it would cut into theirs and my quality of life, which isn't happening unless it needs to. 

The plus side is, in the next year or two, it will be developing into a decent side hustle and I should be able to get closer to breaking even- lol!

When I got my first dog, it shaped me into being a much more active person, and has continued for many years- which I imagine happens to quite a few people.  That is worth the cost alone to me! 

[Fireball]

We have a gray-banded king snake.  Last year we spent a total of $43.75 on frozen feeder mice.  We took him to the vet once about 15 years ago (turned out the behavior we were worried about was normal, so no treatment needed).

He eats about once every two weeks from March through September.  He hides under his newspaper and doesn't eat during the fall and winter.  He craps roughly three times between each feeding, mostly during the first week.  So if we time it right, we can go away for up to a week at a time during spring/summer (longer during winter) without needing anyone to check on him.  We have a friend who will check on him if necessary while we're gone.

He won't catch a Frisbee or play with a ball of yarn, but we do handle him on a regular basis, and we even take him out for walks when it's time for him to do his business.  He's very calm and not skittish at all.  When he's hungry or wants to go outside, he will seek us out when we walk into the room where his aquarium is located.  He likes to be cuddled, but he hates to take a bath (which is only necessary we let him crap in his cage and he crawls through it before we discover it).  I swear he has facial expressions.

He's fun and we love him, but he doesn't require constant attention like a dog or cat, and we don't feel the least bit guilty if we ignore him for a few days.

This made me LOL. I envisioned you taking it outside for a walk with a little collar and leash.   My college roommate had an iguana for a little while and he would say similar things. 

[Mattzlaff]

I have had my dog for 2 years in March. I grew up with dogs all my life, I picked her up from a rescue for 250$, I got a free leash a free collar and 6 10-15lb bags of  high quality dog food I later priced that out and found out it was 120$ of free food. As far as food goes I think I buy 60$ bag of food for my dog once every 5-6 weeks. After buying 12 of the same size you get a 13th free that you can pick up on your next visit or take with you. Since the expiry dates are so long I've grabbed it same day.

Vet cost me 80$ last year for a couple shots but I had to drive to save. The town vet was 50% more for the same check up.

Toys in total have cost me 180$ in 2 years, recently I spent 80$ on amazon buying and picking out good chew toys because the store mark up is ridiculous, only to have my GF come in with a 7$ squeaky turkey that the dog loves more than food. Which astounded me. Because she loves food.

[I'm a red panda]

I've never added up what I spend on my dogs. I don't really care. I'm happy I have them :)

The new dog costs more than the old one though. His toys last matters of minutes (good quality ones, we may get a few hours!) and he is destructive without them... so we have a $25/month budget to replace toys; there are lots of toys we can't give him at all- stuffed things, rope things, etc.  Older dog could keep a $1 rope for years.

But otherwise, it's not too much in food, and a few hundred in vet bills. We had an $800 emergency surgery for the older dog when she was attacked by a different dog.

[Monkey Uncle]

We have a gray-banded king snake.  Last year we spent a total of $43.75 on frozen feeder mice.  We took him to the vet once about 15 years ago (turned out the behavior we were worried about was normal, so no treatment needed).

He eats about once every two weeks from March through September.  He hides under his newspaper and doesn't eat during the fall and winter.  He craps roughly three times between each feeding, mostly during the first week.  So if we time it right, we can go away for up to a week at a time during spring/summer (longer during winter) without needing anyone to check on him.  We have a friend who will check on him if necessary while we're gone.

He won't catch a Frisbee or play with a ball of yarn, but we do handle him on a regular basis, and we even take him out for walks when it's time for him to do his business.  He's very calm and not skittish at all.  When he's hungry or wants to go outside, he will seek us out when we walk into the room where his aquarium is located.  He likes to be cuddled, but he hates to take a bath (which is only necessary we let him crap in his cage and he crawls through it before we discover it).  I swear he has facial expressions.

He's fun and we love him, but he doesn't require constant attention like a dog or cat, and we don't feel the least bit guilty if we ignore him for a few days.

This made me LOL. I envisioned you taking it outside for a walk with a little collar and leash.   My college roommate had an iguana for a little while and he would say similar things.

Yeah, we've had him for 16 years, so we've gotten to know him pretty well. ;)

[Goldielocks]

I'm excited.. we are getting a cat tomorrow!   Last one passed away in December.

Costs:

$150 SPCA
New scratching post, cat carrier  $100  (ours was about 20 years old and failing)

Litter, food per month  $50/mo?
Relatives take care of it while we are away.

Vet visits (routine) 4 in lifetime, at $120 each (mainly for shots)

Last years of life vet care
Added Vet visits and monthly shots $720
Special food $200 over baseline during lifetime.
Emergency visit $450
Final end of life service $300

If cat lives for 15 years, then the total cost is about $65 per month.