How to Keep a Pet When Your Budget's on a Leash

When times get tough and money is tight, it's not only people that suffer -- pets can bear the brunt of economic troubles.

But people shouldn't give up their pets when times are tough -- there are a number of ways to save money and still be able to keep your loving little pooch.

While pet abandonment is nothing new, the SPCA says that the "drastically increasing numbers are new, and many shelters and rescue groups do not have the resources to care for this fast growing problem."

The SPCA predicts that "pet abandonment will continue to increase as long as the mortgage crisis continues."

The main reason that people give up pets during tough economic times is that they don't have the money to take care of the pet. It's important to realize that it's possible to greatly decrease the costs associated with your pet.

The biggest recurring cost for most pets is the cost of food, but the amount spent on pet food can be significantly decreased by knowing a few simple tricks:

Buy What's Least Expensive

If you stick with a certain brand of pet food, you're going to end up paying more in the long run. The pet-food business is extremely competitive and new foods are being introduced all the time.

In order to introduce the new brand, the manufacturer will initially discount it and will often offer free samples. There is almost always some brand of pet food that is heavily discounted, which should greatly cut the price you pay for pet food.