Thrifty Reader Request: Saving with Your Dog

If you have a pet, you get to experience the joys of a friendly companion. They can become like members of the family. And like all members of the family, they cost money. Whether you have one or you are considering buy a dog, here are some ways you can save the cash but still enjoy man's best friend. I hope these help!

• If you are really strapped for cash and can't even pay your bills, now is not the time to buy a dog. This article discusses why pets are expensive and says that Americans spend $30 BILLION annually on their pets.

Me and my pup, Delilah

• Buy a small dog. - We are just THAT frugal. Lol. We have a chihuahua. I got her from a home that rescued one dog and bought a shelter dog. My pup cost me $75 before shots. When you compare that to the hundreds of dollars that other people spend just to buy a dog, I'd say we got a pretty good deal. Smaller dogs also eat less, use fewer toys, make less mess, and take up less space.

• If you already have a bigger dog, consider buying food in bulk. For my chihuahua, we buy 25lb bags when they go on sale. This one bag lasts over a year. Your bigger dog will go through it faster, but you plan on feeding them, so go ahead and buy it. You can keep the big bag in the garage and fill up a small container to store in your cabinet for everyday use.

• Do not buy food at your vet or go all fancy with the food. Check the ingredients the next time you're in the pet aisle. Many brands use the same ingredients and some are just cheaper than others.

• Also, to save your money and your dog's life, don't overfeed it. You go through food quicker and obesity in dogs can create problems for their joints and energy.

• Consider doing away with buying name brand treats and start making your own from scratch. This website has some awesome recipes, and the ingredients are likely already in your cabinets.

Another cute pic of Delilah

• Buy toys at garage sales. Gently used toys work great and cost a fraction of the price.

• Your vet will charge a ton for services that could easily be done elsewhere. You can get your vaccinations at pet stores or animal welfare agencies at a lower cost. 

• Make sure you get the shots done on time. Preventative maintenance is a great way to save money in the long run.

• If you think there may be something wrong with your pup, search the internet for home remedies first. If you are still concerned, call your vet. Be sure to price around as well.

• Groom your dog at home. For thicker coats, make sure you brush regularly. This will save you a headache for when you go to wash the pup. For small dogs or somewhat large dogs, your bathtub will serve a great place to do this. If you are worried about hair clogging the drain, invest $3 in a drain net. When it is warmer, you can wash/groom your dog outside. If you'd like a good tutorial, this video was helpful.

Freezer Recipe: Making Beef and Bean Burritos in Bulk

I got this recipe from an AMAZING book called Fix, Freeze, Feast. A friend had told me about the book a few months ago, we did this recipe for her family, and now I just did it again for my own family. It takes a bit of work, but it is sooooo worth it.

The idea behind freezer meal in bulk is to save you money, time, and sanity. Many of the recipes that I will post are from this book. The authors gear the recipes to buy from warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's where you can often buy things cheaper by the pound when you buy it in bulk. The great thing here is that you are using all of your fresh ingredients before they spoil. You get homecooked meals from scratch, and you have a large assortment on hand for dinner when you need it.

I am HORRIBLE at planning ahead. My husband comes home from work and asks me whats for dinner. My answer? "Ummmmmmmmmm......."

Recipes like this one allow me to have it already made and ready. All I have to do is throw it in the oven. Bam. Dinner is ready.

I'll talk more about freezer meals later with other recipes, but lets get started with these burritos.

As one of the authors of Fix, Freeze, Feast describes these burritos, "We keep these on hand for quick lunches - homemade 'fast food.'" 100% truth right there.

This recipe makes about 40 burritos, so make sure you have room in your freezer for about 6 gallon size bags.

Ingredients:

1 Tray (6 lbs) Lean Ground Beef (cooked)
1 Cup taco seasoning
3 Cups of water
8 15-ounce cans of Refried Beans - any flavor
40 10-inch Flour Tortillas (I happened to buy mine in packs of 6, so I bought 7 of them, making 42 shells)
Mix-ins (Salsa, cilantro, cheese, onion, etc.) optional
Aluminum Foil - Sams sells Aluminum foil sheets. I bought those to save my sanity. It cut down my time for sure.
Gallon size Freezer Bags

Directions:

Brown your ground beef. Doing this much ground beef will take about 20 minutes.
Drain.
Add in taco seasoning and water. Bring to simmer. Let cook until most of the water has evaporated.
Let beef cool.

The next step I suggest is lay out your aluminum foil and your tortillas. I found that doing it this way allowed for my to do about 14 at a time, and I could be sure I added in everything I wanted to. My set up looked like this:

Notice my little helper.

This setup allowed for me to keep track of doing different fillings. I have a strange weakness for cilantro, so I made sure that some had that in there. My husband, however, does not share this love of cilantro with me, so I made sure that I had several groups without it. My kids like their burritos without onions. You see where I'm going with this. Just make sure you group them together and label your bags!

I strongly suggest you do not do this with a 1 year old running around. I turned around to grab something and I found her like this:

She stole a tortilla right off the table!

Once you have your set of burritos like you like them, wrap the burrito (Side note: Did you know that on the tortilla package, you can often find instructions on how to wrap it properly?) and then wrap it in tin foil. My tip for this step would be to lay out your foil and then lay your tortillas right on top. Before you wrap it, you should have something like this:

A burrito for my non-salsa/cilantro/onion-loving children of mine.

Once you have them wrapped, start putting them in freezer bags and put them in the freezer. I repeat, make sure you label your bags! My permanent marker *somehow* disappeared off of my desk. I chose to use some leftover Avery labels instead. Make sure you have the date on there as well.

Yummy goodness!

These burritos are good for about 3 months after you make them. If you're like me, I can eat Mexican food all day long. I know these won't go to waste around this house.

Now I bet you'd like to know how to cook them. Let me tell you. It's soooo easy!

To Cook:

You can thaw them out if you want or just bake straight from the freezer. If thawed, bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. If they are frozen, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

You can also cook them in the microwave if you're in a rush. Unwrap it (duh!), hit "Thaw" and then "Reheat."

Now, when my husband asks me what we're having for dinner, I can tell have an answer and food on the table quickly.

These are also fabulous for when you have guests come over. Ten people from church decide to come over? No problem! Just bust out your cookie sheet and a few bags of your burritos, and you are good to go.

My total burrito count: 41 (it would have been 42 if it hadn't been for some thievery)

Let me know if you try this recipe! I know I love it!