BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Pets

Right now I'm averaging about $200 every month for visits to the vet. ophthalmologist for Quincy's glaucoma (one recent bill was $380). We have to go to the specialty service clinic, which is $75 to just walk in the door. Everything is itemized and every time they pick up a different lens to view his eye, it's another charge! I haven't added up lately but I know I'm in the $1500 range since June JUST for his EYE EXAMS. Then there are the crazy expensive eye drops - $150 for one, $75 each for two others, and then misc. additional drops/meds anywhere from $7-25.

And that doesn't count the $250 regular vet well-check for both bunnies and geriatric bloodwork.

So yikes.... but yep, they are still cheaper than kids (in spite of the insurance) and they don't talk back.

Well Actually, she is very well trained but she has learned how to push buttons on me. Ignoring her doesn't work, she knows that I do that and she'll do whatever it takes to get my attention literally.
And yes, I get your point on saying that some of you would rather have pets than kids. I wasn't implying anything in that regard.
I really don't care if none of you want kids, that's your decision, not mine.
I could care less who wishes to be child free. To each his own.

My only point was that people spend just as much money on animals as they would for a kid, and that couldn't be more true when you consider food, shelter, vet bills etc.

If I spent as little on a kid as I spend on my cat, I'd be arrested. Literally. Even when she broke her leg, I only had to spend a couple hundred on her to have it tended to, and most of that was x-ray fees.

o_O You're telling me that a bag of dog food bought every couple of months costs more than fruit/veggies/price of gas for cooking/meat/snacks/etc and so forth? That a doggy chew toy costs more than all the birthday/christmas/whatever presents? Clothing? Annual dentist/doctor visits? I find that unrealistic in the extreme.
Now, if someone was insane and wanted to buy gold-plated food dishes for their pet and hire a personal chef, sure they could pay as much or more for their pet than someone with a kid could.

Truth is that some people do get to exhuberant with their pets and their spending on them. I didn'nt say you all did. Why do so many assume. You know what they say about assuming.

Hey no, do NOT make me look unreasonable here! What I said, is the average REASONABLE expenses for a kid by FAR outnumber the reasonable expenses for a pet. If you itemized every expense for kid vs. pet, you'd see right away that it's true, even if you have a sickly pet.

Yes and I wasn't trying to make you look unreasonable at all. I have a cousin who spends unbelieveable amounts of money on her cat every month of the year. She is child free and that was her decision but what I'm trying to get across is that it is possible. That's what I'm saying. No pun intended

I have to confess my sister is a vet - an excellent vet - how lucky are we? (including my pets)...when our last Siamese was receiving chemotherapy, he received home visits from his vet and the drugs were cost price...
We helped my sister financially so she could study in the States for 3 years - she's now a specialist - money very well spent!
The road goes both ways though...we don't take her for granted - the cats regularly buy her presents/treats and invite her to dinner...or to stay with us for a few days.
Its interesting the cats think its perfectly normal for her to exam them from time to time...they must think..."here goes the weird aunt again"...
No, seriously...I'm sure they know she's there to look after them...

bahrain, at Grey said, unless your cousin had her catpoo dipped in bronze, I doubt it costs more than a kid. %99 of people spend less on their pets than their kids, so it makes your argument kind of nill.

I look at the vet biz like, hmmmmmm with all of their natural instincts, animals survived just fine w/out a $300-$1500 vet bill and utilized things like herbs, ash and dirt.

They really are use to people dropping their pets off at an emotional expense and paying the itemized bill.

Researching remedies can save a pretty penny!