#right after spending over a thousand dollars at the emergency vet for one dog

[agayconcept]

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[elopez7228]

Scenic Route 6/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774 

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

“Why name her BB8?”

“She was the eighth of a litter—we tried to call her anything else but that’s all she would respond to, so BB8 stuck,”

Rey was happy to give the dog a few scratches. The big ball of affection didn’t hesitate to throw an old tennis ball at her feet, along with a sock, a rubber duck, and even a fork she had pilfered from the kitchen in place of a stick.

The duck squeaked as she grabbed it, and Rey burst into a laugh of pure joy. How could she have been so mistrustful of an old woman who owned such an adorable dog?

“Why did your brother leave you his dog?”

“She was injured by a hit-and-run and I rushed her to the vet, but he eventually had to leave her to get back to his professional obligations at the time. It hurt him to leave her behind but we both knew she was in good hands. Since then I’ve been looking for an opportunity to take her back, but I’m in no shape to make the journey myself anymore.”

Rey said nothing as she watched the charming dog go round and round on the carpet as she waited for Rey to play with her some more. Leia put down her steaming teacup.

“So, Rose sent you, right? Are you close friends?”

“Not at all, actually. I just happened to be at her café at the right time. We talked a bit, I mentioned my travels and my personal life, and she said you have a job to give me,” Rey chuckled, going a little red.

“I was worried it was a con—drugs, guns, something illegal. But everything’s alright, I love BB8. I’d love to take her on the route with me, she’ll be good company. Always a good idea to have a dog when travelling solo. “

“Well, I’m not sure she’ll be an effective guard dog, you know,” Leia smiled.

“Oh, no worries, her presence is enough, at worst she’ll be more bark than bite! How urgently would I have to take her to San Francisco?”

“She’s already six months late, a few more weeks wouldn’t matter…are you comfortable with the detour?”

Rey tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she adjusted her topknot, ruminating on her response.

“I wanted to go up to Yellowstone National Park, and then Montana. Take a trek, do some rafting or some horse riding, something like that. I also wanted to check out some ghost towns, see a rodeo, maybe a powwow? Then make my way down to Idaho and Nevada. Take my time, you know. Would that be a problem for BB8?”

“Not as long as she makes it back to Luke—my brother—in one piece,” Leia waved a hand dismissively, “I’m sure it’s going to be a lovely trip. I wish I was your age so I could go globetrotting too,”

Rey laughed, glancing from one photo to another. “Weren’t you in the army? I’m sure you traveled a lot…on that note, Rose mentioned a car?”

Leia got up and motioned for Rey to follow her. “Yes, it too belonged to my brother. You’ll need to take it to California too, and it’s not doing quite as well as our friend BB8. I’m afraid it’s not exactly the most recent make and model,”

Rey followed Leia outside the house. They were taking a walk, it seemed. BB8 trotted along happily, occasionally snapping at the insects circling in the plants. It sat in a five by five plot of land in the middle of the garden on the other side of the house. Rey had mistaken it for a supplementary garbage disposal unit. An oldsmobile cruiser—exactly like the ones that at one point had been the very height of the 70s. It screamed vintage, from the boxy silhouette to the oversized bonnet which was as long as the boot itself.  The car had been white at some point, though the paint had certainly faded. It was complete with brown accents and a classic wood motif on the side, which made Rey cringe. She turned to Leia with a disapproving look.

“You have got to be joking here.  I thought your brother left you this hunk of junk to dispose of at some junkyard, not to give right back to him,”

“Well then,” Leia huffed, “all the more reason to do it, right? You know me, if he wanted to make a trash compactor out of me I really want to see his face when this baby shows up in his driveway again.”

Rey wasn’t sure if Leia was about to make a huge mistake. “This thing surely isn’t functioning anymore, is it? You’d make more money selling it to a junkyard than letting it collect dust in your garden.” Rey looked around again, “You could plant a lovely vegetable garden or whatnot instead, I’m sure you have a green thumb,”

“It was my husband’s,” Leia said wistfully, and Rey realized that she wasn’t kidding. “It was his pride and joy, he would fix it up himself back in the day. He loved that thing so much. And the life we had, all the crazy things we would do in that car…I didn’t have the heart to scrap it, it would be like killing him all over again.”

“He died? I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you—“

“It’s fine,” Leia said, running her hand across the side panel in a gentle caress. “You had no way of knowing. He and my brother went the whole nine yards in this thing. It’ll get back to him somehow,”

“Alright, fine,” Rey conceded, “I understand, I’ll take the hunk of junk and the dog to San Francisco, no worries.  Do you have the papers as well?”

“Yes, they’re inside, let’s head back,”

After reviewing the vehicle registration and the owner’s manual (all of which were still up to date, not that she would have bet so) and following multiple assurances and other formalities, Rey found herself feeling something new inside. This would give her the solo road trip she always wanted, and an adorable dog to keep her company, in literally the most vintage American car she could have ever imagined.  She had always been a good driver and a car person, so she looked forward to driving a proper stick shift. It had been a good while since she last drove one and it only added to the excitement of the trip. Against all odds and expectations, Rey was actually quite a clever and resourceful  mechanic, thank you very much. She knew how to change the tires and the oil, and how to identify the source of most engine trouble. Simple things, really, but things that she would almost certainly have to do with this car. As for the rest of it, she would definitely have to invest in a good pair of sunglasses and a very wide-brimmed hat because the interior wasn’t air-conditioned at all. And water. Lots and lots of water. Maybe even a jerry or two of motor oil and petrol. And an emergency kit in case she really did get a flat tire. She was finally beginning to get goosebumps about this. Nevertheless, one detail remained to be settled.

“Pardon me if I’m being too frank Leia, but Rose mentioned some compensation, is that right?”

Leia was currently reassembling a dossier full of documents that Rey had decided not to take. She put it down gently. “Yes, I’ll be providing you with 500 dollars up front for your services. That should also cover the gaz change. Luke will give you the rest once he’s sure that BB8 is safe and sound.”

One thousand dollars wouldn’t cover all Rey’s costs, what with meals and motels and extra gaz. But she could make do, considering that a few days ago she was looking at spending twice as much just to loan a car. It would work out. It didn’t have to be a job per se, it could be…community service, absolutely.

Rey nodded, and Leia closed the dossier with a soft click.

“I’ll leave tomorrow then,” Rey said, deep in thought, “It’ll give me a whole day to make some purchases for the rest of the trip. Would you mind if I took the car? It could be a test drive as well…”

The afternoon was filled with what could only be called intense shopping. Her list consisted of mechanic’s tools, camping gear, sunblock, ration packs, a first-aid kit, dog biscuits, and even a cheap mountable stereo. She then purchased several CDs for the long road ahead, including a three disc deluxe album of the one and only KYLO & THE KNIGHTS OF REN, which she would no doubt regret impulse-buying later.

The car was at best dusty and stale, despite the little tree-shaped air freshener hanging from the front mirror. Too little too late to undo a decade’s worth of rotting in Leia Skywalker’s garden.  Rey took it upon herself to take it to a carwash and have it cleaned from the inside out. There was no telling what they would find. Earlier she had found a toy in between the back seats—a shiny red racecar that she’d shoved into the GB.

Getting ready took up most of her afternoon. She packed the car up with all her supplies and even made a little “doggie corner” for BB8 in the back seat. It was complete with a crochet blanket in case she got cold, a food bowl, her squeaky rubber duck, a tennis ball, and a single shoe. Everything was ready by the time that Leia called them back inside for dinner.

It was as though Rey was at her own grandmother’s house, despite the fact that she had only really known the woman for a couple of hours. She came back into the cottage to find a steaming bowl of spaghetti waiting for her. After a long day’s work, it was truly heaven.

“So, do you know Rose well, then?” Rey managed to ask after she had finished stuffing her face and regaining her strength.

Leia took a while to respond, prompting Rey to wonder what was so hard about the question. Finally, Leia raised her eyes after a long moment of reflection. “She and I both operate in a charity organization based out of Denver. That’s how I know her.”

“Oh! What kind of charity? meals for the poor or something?”

“Not exactly…”

Rey waited politely for an explanation but Leia seemed reluctant to answer. She pressed on, “Well? Come on now, surely you could elaborate a little?”

“It’s called Earth Soldiers,” Leia responded suddenly. She wasn’t smiling anymore, much to Rey’s surprise. “You could call us a group of…hardcore environmental rights activists.”

“So like GreenPeace? Protesting power plants-and chaining  yourself to property sort of activists?”

“Sure, you can think of it like that if you want,”

Rey was all full belly and drooping eyelids by then; she failed to notice the tension building in the room.

“But isn’t that dangerous at your age? Can you still attend the happenings or whatever they are?” Rey continued.

Leia’s gaze hardened imperceptibly. “I’ve spent my whole life fighting and I want to go down swinging,” she replied.

“Ah, I see. I imagined that after a life as full as yours you would have liked to take a break, but everyone is different, I guess,”

In response Leia simply began picking up her own empty plate so that she could start attending to the dishes. Rey tried her best to help by drying the dishes afterward and putting them away. Later, after spending a few minutes on her phone, Rey yawned loudly and excused herself for the night.

“Sorry, I should probably get to bed. May I set up the camping tent in the garden?”

“Just set up in the living room, that way you won’t get cold or have to take down a tent tomorrow. And you won’t have to hear the drunk ravings of the neighbors next door,”

“Alright, BB8 and I will leave after breakfast in the morning, goodnight Leia,”

“Good night, young lady.”

Rey rested her head on her new inflatable camping pillow, curled up snugly in her brand new sleeping bag. The carpeted floor would do for now. She was going to have to get used to sleeping on the floor soon. BB8 curled up into a ball too, sleeping on the couch after realizing that her dinner bowl was nowhere to be found (it was still in the car). Rey fell into a deep sleep. This was the first night she had not been anxious about the future, barring of course the night she was too drunk to remember—that didn’t count.

Late into the night, a coyote wandered the sleeping trailer park, an unfortunate shrew in its jaws.

Much further away, in the heart of Denver, Ben Solo performed another concert at Howl at the Moon, and Rose left the night shift at the Night Owl Café to her sister, Paige.

Their next door neighbor George Watto had started his nightly ramblings no later than three in the morning, eventually falling asleep at his own front door, fully dressed and armed with a beer bottle like a true American hero. In the quiet little cottage next door, Rey slept soundly in the living room while Leia found no sleep in the bedroom next to it.

Tomorrow, she would send that girl off to Luke in San Francisco. It was too late to go back. After years of careful political maneuvering, her entire life’s work hinged on the whims of a random British tourist who decided to vacation here of all places. What if they discovered her little honey pot scheme? What if they laid a hand on…

It was somewhere in the middle of this tiring web of entirely disquieting thoughts that Leia Skywalker fell into a short and fitful slumber.

[thetaylorfiles]

This is silly, but I love the pic of your cat sniffing your flowers! I have a tiny toy poodle and every time my husband brings me flowers she spends several minutes sniffing each one. I swear she thinks the flowers are hers. Happy birthday!

WARNING: this post devolved into a way too long, but funny, post about my cat. Feel free to skip if you want.

Aw! Thank you! Why do cats and dogs love flowers so damn much?! They naturally want to mess with them.

Wanna know a funny story about that cat? That cat is Felix. Does anyone remember that I posted here almost a year ago that Felix had gotten out in a rainstorm and we couldn’t find him for weeks and assumed he’d either been taken in by someone or most likely eaten by a coyote, etc.

Well, almost a month after we lost him, someone from about a mile away texted and said, is this your cat? With a pic that was totally Felix! He had been hiding around this apartment complex in the closest city over next to us and a few kind tenants were feeding him. We went down, the kids and I, saw him and we’re overjoyed. Brought him home and were so happy we’d gotten him back and how lucky we were that one of the tenants happened to check Nextdoor.com and saw our ‘missing cat’ post.

Every few months or so, Felix would start meowing real low and scooting his butt and acting like he was in pain. So the first time he did it, I got scared, took him to an emergency vet and a thousand dollars later they determined he’d been slightly constipated and gave medicine. He seemed fine after. It happened again, we gave him stuff to help and eventually it got better. Happened AGAIN and I’m like, no way.

Took him to the doctor and they couldn’t find anything wrong except maybe he’d hurt his hip since he kept scooting when he was howling and acting hurt. They took him back to give him a cortisone shot to help. So the kids and I sat there waiting, and a nurse pokes her head in the door and goes, “um Felix is a girl and she’s in heat”.

We were SHOCKED I asked them to check his chip because I knew the place we’d adopted him from had neutered him before giving him to us at about 5 mo old. They came back and said, “sorry, he... er, she doesn’t have a chip.”

It felt like the floor dropped out from under us and it was dead silent for what felt like a whole minute and then all of us realized at the same time that we had, miraculously, hilariously and sadly gotten a completely different, yet IDENTICAL looking cat back. And that this wasn’t our lost Felix. This was some other little kitty who just looked exactly like our Feels.

And of course, my little sensitive, animal adoring daughter bursts into huge, gulping sobs and my son starts getting sad angry, blaming the doctor for turning Felix into a girl (not totally comprehending it) and my head was just... it was the weirdest thing ever. It honestly felt like being told I was having a boy or girl at our anatomy scan, where everything just feels so surreal.

I calmed the kids down by saying that our original Felix absolutely had found a new home like Id always suspected. That some older grandma type had seen him in the rain and took him in. That I was dead positive he hadn’t died because coyotes leave remains behind. And of course I couldn’t know for sure, but sometimes the little lies are okay if it helps a little kids heart. And it was possible!

And! And! The best part is that we had rescued a little kitty - the only difference between Felix, the original and Felix 2.0 was we always thought 2.0 was smaller but we chalked it up to getting skinnier being out there. Nope! You get kitten! Completely different kitten! And that little kitty had no family and could’ve easily been killed by traffic on the big street he was living near, or coyotes (we’re up against the hills) and we saved our new Felix!

So, it took like a week or two to lose that surreal feeling. It felt like having a brand new cat in your house but she had no clue anything changed. And she’s the absolute best. A lap cat who is such a lover. Who needs to be in our bedroom at night and snuggles. He one screw up we made was you have to introduce cats slowly to get them used to one another. Well, we thought we had just brought back our old cat so we let him roam free. And most of our other cats hate him and bully him when they sneakily can. How were we to know?! We were like, Welcome Home Feels!

Anyway, he’s the best. I mean she. She’s fixed now and we love her so much. I even think we got a better cat. This one wants to be part of the human family no matter what we do in a way the other didnt. Our cats are half inside half outside but Feels (it feels weird to call her Felix. We do, but generally shorten to Feels) never, ever goes outside and we love that so much I can’t even tell you. We hate that are cats are part outsidejust cause of danger stuff.

Oh my god, I’ve written a novel about a cat. I’m SO SORRY. Im putting a Tl;dr at three top. And then I’m going to hang with the husband and watch some more Netflix Criminal. We’re on France right now. Have you guys seen this series? SO GOOS.

[cynological]

Can you make a master list of your favorite dog products like muzzles, crates, etc? You seem to do your research pretty well and I’m curious what you consider the essentials that every dog owner should have and the brands you recommend.

I’m goingto preface this by saying that at the time of this writing, I’m not sponsored by or affiliated with any of thebrands mentioned below and receive nothing in return for listing them. They areall brands that I have experience with/used or have always heard come highlyrecommended. I’ve also included links for some things mentioned.

Bareessentials of what people should have for dogs: Collar, tags, leash, crate, bowls, food,muzzle, toys, means for vet care, first aid kit. Don’t care what kind, everyoneshould have those things.

-ID tags and microchip: PetTags4Less has really good deals ontags, which is great if you have dogs that lose tags or if you need multiple tags tolabel things. They have all kinds of different designs, shapes, and metals. Theengraving is also deep. I have a tag on my keys that I bought on a BOGO sale about 7years ago for my previous dog, and it has been on my keychainsince the day I got it. Even though it has been throughthe elements and abuseand the color has mostly rubbed off, the writing is still legible.

-Collars: Lupineguarantees their collars/harnesses/leashes even if chewedand will replace them for free. For corrective type collars, Herm Sprenger is by far the bestfor quality.

-4ft leash: 4ft because I don’t find a whole lot of situationswhere I need anything longer except in certain sports or training scenarios.Some people prefer 6 ft. My basic every day leash is a 4ft 10mm leather Klin leash.A lot of people like biothane/synthetic leather leashes. VonDer King sells them in a variety of colors and length. Ialso have friends that swear by Horton’sQuality K9′s leashes (and other handmade police/schutzhundequipment).

-Crate: I like thick plastic crates over wire crates becausethey’re typically more difficult for dogs to break out of (many wire crates aremade with really weak wires), they contain hair and mud better, dogs can’t getmouths, feet, collars, and tags caught in them as easily, and they can’t reachout and grab things near them. Craigslist is the way to go to find crates,regardless of what type you use.

I feel like all dogs need to learn to be comfortable in a crate, even ifthey aren’t locked in them all the time. Aside from being helpful withhousebreaking, you never know when your dog may need to go to the vet or traveland being comfortable in a kennel will greatly reduce stress. For escapeartists, there are ‘escape proof’ crates made by TNCFabricating, Impact, and Zinger Winger.

For -specialized- car travel crates, I use a Transk9 kennel. Variocageand Ruff Tough Kennels are also crash tested. I will always choose a crateover a harness because I feel they are safer. That said, if you do want aharness I do have a Ruffwear Load Up Harness, whichhas been crash tested, and I liked it well enough. I’ve heard good things aboutSleepyPod harnesses as well. There is a group on facebook called Dog SportVehicle Ideas and Set Ups that is awesome and gives a lot of great ideas forall types of vehicles and situations.

-Dog bowls: I like Bella Bowls as a general nonskid foodbowl for my non destructive animals. Forhiking and travel I like using silicone collapsible bowls, and for car traveland training I found a spill-proof Ray Allen Buddy Bowl thatworks pretty well after I got tired of my dog spilling water all over his cratein my car.Food puzzle bowls from Outward Hound are awesome both for regular kibblefeeding and for freezing wet dog food in and buying myself forty five minutesof Not Being Annoyed By Bored German Shepherds. Also awesome food puzzles are BusterFood Cubes, Kong Wobbler, Omega Tricky Treat Ball, and the Magic Mushroom.

-Food: Lookya’ll, I understand that what you feed your dog has become one of the main DogReligions right up there with training methodologies. I don’t care or judge youbased on what you feed. Experiment and find out what works best for your budgetand your dog. The only exception to that rule is vegan/vegetarian dog food. Don’tfeed those.

There isan awesome Facebook group called Dog Food Nerds that is wonderful in that theyare very nonjudgmental and offer an open discussion. There are no arguments overThe One True Way or Kibble Is Doom Nuggets. Highly recommend checking them out.Something that’s helped me a lot is to take advantage of dog food sales. Stockup when you can. I bought a -lot-, and by that I mean I was trying to go forthe entirety of next year’s food, over Black Friday last year. Even though Ihad to pay a lump sum up front, I saved several hundred dollars by not havingto buy each bag individually throughout the year. Some brands also have a Buy #get 1 free! Program where you send in receipts/UPCs, so those are something tokeep an eye on as well.  

-Treats: Likefood, it’s whatever your dog likes. Hotdogs, string cheese, and chicken/steakbits are always super high value. Purina Moist and Meaty is usually considereda ‘junk’ food but most dogs tend to like it a lot and it’s cheap. NaturalBalance and Happy Howies dog food rolls are like doggy crack; just be warnedthat the NB rolls crumble a lot. I’m using a lot of Biljac and Zukes because Petsmarthad them on BOGO on Black Friday last year.

-Dental Treats: I use Milkbone BrushingChews for daily chews because my dog likes them the most and they are VOHC-approved.If I had more money, I’d use Oravet.

I reallylike No-Hide chews for time occupying. The biggest and thickest ones I pull outof the bin last my dog twice as long as a bully stick and don’t break downteeth. Their only down fall is price. For raw bones, I like beef vertebraebecause I feel like those ones break down teeth less than knuckles or weight bearingbones.

-Toys: I use all kinds of brands and types of toys. Find what your dog likes and use it. But also, for reference Planet Dog is pretty cool and has a durability rating and 100% guarantee on their toys.

-Muzzles: Theonly two I really like and use for my purposes are a clear Jafco muzzle and aTitus muzzle, the latter of which stays in my hiking/running pack. All dogs need to be comfortable wearing a muzzle for the same reason they need to be comfortable in a crate. The Muzzle Up! Project is a great resource.

-Pet Insurance/Vet Bills: I usePet Plan. They have been a life saver for my bank account with both acute andchronic issues. My only problem with them is that there is a roughly 20%increase on my premium every year. For my next dog, I may look at Embrace or Trupanion.If you decide to get pet insurance, which I highly recommend, do your ownresearch and read their policies and Terms and Conditions VERY thoroughlybefore choosing. I bought Pet Insurance because I cannot afford thousands ofdollars’ worth of vet bills and “just setting aside some money every month”would still not cover nearly what the insurance will.

Also lookinto setting up Care Credit or a special credit card before you ever need it tohelp with emergency expenses. If possible, and again, I -know- that money istight

-Misc: I likeall things Ruffwear for my outdoor adventures. For dogs with mobility issues, aHelp Em Up Harness made my previous GSD’s last few months easier. I highly suggest carrying a first aid kit both in the house and in thevehicle/hiking with you. I don’t have a particular brand to recommend as I mademy own, but there are a ton of premade kits sold out there that you can choosefrom based on your level of training and how much you want to spend. Alsorelated, I have a Jaeger Medical Litter that is very lightweight and packs downsmall that I carry with me while hiking, because carrying a large injured dogout of the woods when you’re miles from civilization kind of sucks and thismakes it suck less.

If youwant to learn more on how to stabilize acute life-threatening injuries inworking dogs, check out Veterinary Tactical Group’s on-site training course.For basic pet first aid and CPR, the American Red Cross has an online courseyou can take. I’m sure there are others out there as well.   This is everything that comes to mind immediately. If you have any further questions or want to share some of your own favorite things, feel free to contact me.

[fahimahammedssss]

Get Educated About Dogs With These Simple To Follow Tips

There is little out there that's like getting a dog when you want loyalty and love. Dogs are great family companions and also companions of people that live alone. If you wish to care better for your dog, pay attention to the tips that follow.

Being a dog owner can be very costly. Every dog requires good quality food, general supplies and medical care; this can range in cost from $700 to $1000 per year. Pet insurance can be very helpful since emergency medical care for your dog can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the circumstances.

Your dog has teeth just like you, so it makes sense that he needs proper dental care. Invest in a dog toothbrush and brush his teeth often. Simply allowing the vet to do it at his regular checkups is not enough. You can also purchase treats that are specifically meant to help with your pet's teeth.

When you have a dog, make sure that you give him enough water. Water should be made available to your dog at all times of the day, particularly in the summertime. Put his water bowl somewhere where no one will trip over it, otherwise you'll be cleaning your floors all day!

To improve the dog training process, try using hand signals in addition to verbal commands. When provided with signals of this type, dogs tend to pick things up faster. Find out the way that your dog prefers and use it.

Never give your dog milk! It's not necessary for his body and he doesn't have the proper enzymes to digest it anyway. Feeding your dog cow's milk can lead to chronic diarrhea and leave him with an upset stomach, among other health problems. Stick with plain old water for a healthy and hydrated dog.

When preparing to groom your pet, start the session off on the right foot by helping your dog relax. Spend a few minutes simply petting him, starting with the head and then rubbing the back, paws, belly and even tail. Once you feel your dog is happy and content, begin grooming him.

To make your dog happy and increase the bond between you, try learning how to give him a massage! It's been shown in recent studies that structured massages are highly beneficial to a dog's health and can improve their overall well-being. This activity can also be very relaxing for you as well.

Getting a dog on a whim is rarely a good idea. You need to make sure you can afford to feed a dog and cover medical expenses before getting a pet. Research different breeds to figure out which dog would be best for your family, your lifestyle and the size of your home.

Always be the boss with your dog. A dog is not only much more apt to be obedient when you are in command, he'll also be much happier. Dogs need to know what's expected of them and that they are being led. This gives them a sense of security and you a more peaceful household.

Attention exercises must be practiced daily. These exercises will help you gain your dog's attention when they are barking or being disruptive or destructive. Once you can gain your dog's attention, you will have less to worry about when you have him out of the house or when there is company over.

Keep in mind that the pads on a dog's foot are very similar to the skin at the bottom of a human foot. This means that they have a hard time withstanding extreme heat and cold. If you have to take your dog out in extreme weather, make sure that you cover their paws, or you don't have them out for very long.

If you are thinking about getting a dog, it is crucial that you choose a bread wisely. For instance, if you have children, large vicious dogs may not be a good idea. Or, if you live in an apartment, smaller breeds may be better. Pick a dog that works well with your lifestyle.

If you are training your dog to not pull when on the leash, you should invest in a quality collar and leash. If you have a larger dog, the force of it pulling might be able to break basic collars and leashes. For this reason a good, strong collar is recommended when you are walking your pup.

Bigger is not better when selecting a dog house. Allow for room for growth, but do not go much bigger than what you will need for him to be comfortable as an adult. This will allow the entire house to heat from his body heat during the cold winter months.

Many dogs enjoy things like fruits and vegetables, rice, eggs and cottage cheese. There is nothing wrong with letting them have these things, but they should not make up the bulk of their diets. You should feed them dog food, and implement these items around 10 percent of the time.

If you have a dog, it is your responsibility to clean up behind him or her. Keeping some plastic bags by the front door will help remind you to bring them along on your walk. It can be embarrassing when you forget your little baggie, and in some places you can also be fined.

Just as you would with a baby who has just begun to walk, you should take certain measures to protect your dog from harm in your home. For instance, if you decide to get a dog, get rid of any poisonous plants you have in your home. So many dog injuries and deaths can be prevented by taking a few simple steps.

Taking care of a dog requires a lot of dedication and hard work. Dogs require more than just food and walks. You need to be aware of how to properly look after your dog. If you do, you will have a happy, healthy dog for many years to come.

best-dog-training-treats

[onlinemarketinghelp]

The Ultimate Pet Insurance Guide: Is Pet Insurance Worth It? https://ift.tt/38hexhW

In my experience, pet owners come in one of two groups. The first group loves their pet like it is their child, and they know it. The pet owners pick their housing based off of the proximity to a dog park or pet day-care location. They buy only the finest pet foods. These pet owners will do anything, including draining their bank account, for the well-being of their fur babies.

The second group has a more rational approach towards pet ownership. They buy mid-priced food for their pets, and try DIY methods for teeth cleaning to keep costs low. They say things like, “When Fido’s time comes, I’ll take her for a long walk, feed her a steak, and bring her in to the vet.” That is, they say those things until Fido’s time comes. Then, they will do anything, including draining their bank accounts, for the well-being of their fur baby.

For pet owners who really will do anything to keep their pets healthy, vet bills can add up. Treatments for bone fractures, cancer, and genetic conditions can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of pocket.

With such high costs, pet owners may want to consider pet health insurance (PHI) to cover unexpected expenses. But like many types of insurance, PHI can be confusing. This guide covers the ins and outs of pet health insurance, so you can make an informed decision about whether to buy it yourself.

Quick Navigation

What Is Pet Health Insurance?

What Does It Usually Cover?

What Is A Normal Deductible?

What Is the Co-Insurance Part of Pet Health Insurance?

What Companies Offer Pet Health Insurance?

How Much Does It Cost?

Things to Look for When Buying Pet Health Insurance

Is Pet Insurance Right for You?

What Is Pet Health Insurance?

Pet insurance is a type of property insurance that protects the financial well-being of pet owners.

When a domestic pet (such as a dog or a cat) becomes sick or injured, the owner of the pet must pay a vet for the pet’s care. If the owner is unable to cover the cost of the pet’s healthcare, the pet may end up in pain or dying due to lack of care.

Much like human health insurance, pet health insurance covers some or all of the costs of pet health needs. Generally, pet health insurance comes with an annual deductible (the amount that an owner is 100% responsible for) and a co-insurance requirement.

The co-insurance requirement means that the owner must pay for at least a percentage of the vet’s bills. Usually the insurer pays for 80% of expenses, and owners have a 20% co-insurance requirement.

In the United States, only about 2% of dog owners and 0.5% of cat owners carry pet health insurance today.

What Does It Usually Cover?

Normally, pet health insurance falls into one of three buckets. It can be wellness care which covers the cost of pet wellness (for example, flea treatments and annual vet visits). It can be accident and illness coverage which covers some or all of the cost of emergency vet visits. Or it can be comprehensive coverage which covers wellness, accidents, and illnesses.

What Is A Normal Deductible?

In insurance, a deductible is the amount a person must pay before the insurance coverage kicks in. Most insurance types, including homeowners, auto, and health insurance, have deductibles. Most PHI plans have a deductible.

A deductible under a pet health insurance plan can take two forms: annual or per-incident. An annual deductible is a set amount (say $500) that the pet owner must pay before the insurance kicks in. You only have to meet the annual deductible once per year. That means if Spot ends up at the vet four times, you pay the first $500 of costs for the year. Once the deductible is paid, you split the cost of the care with the insurance. Generally, the insurance company pays 80% of the rest of the cost, and the pet owner pays 20%.

Per-incident deductibles are a bit more complicated. You pay the deductible each time your pet visits the vet. Consider a plan with a $150-per-incident deductible. If your pet visits the vet four times, you will pay the $150 deductible four times, plus your share of the remaining cost.

What Is the Co-Insurance Part of Pet Health Insurance?

In general, insurers only cover part of a pet’s medical expenses, even after the deductible is met. Typically, the insurer pays 80% of costs, and the pet owner has to pay 20% of costs. This is called the co-insurance component.

What Companies Offer Pet Health Insurance?

The three largest companies that offer pet health insurance in the United States are Nationwide, Trupanion, and Healthy Paws. However, the pet insurance marketplace is rapidly growing, with lots of start-up companies offering competitive pricing on their insurance products.

Some of the newer entrants to the pet health insurance world are Pets Best, Embrace, Figo, PetFirst, and Petplan.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of pet health insurance depends on a number of factors. The biggest factors are the species of pet (dogs cost more than cats) and the age of your pet. Smaller factors include the breed (certain breeds are more prone to illness than others) and where you live. The amount of your deductible, and the co-insurance you choose, will also affect the rates.

The average premium for accident and illness coverage is $516 per year, but costs can be as high as $150 per month for comprehensive coverage for a large dog, or as low as $25 per month for dogs or $10 per month for cats.

Things to Look for When Buying Pet Health Insurance

When you’re thinking about buying pet health insurance, you need to consider a large number of factors. You’ll need to balance the coverage rules with the costs and benefits of the insurance.

Does this cover the right things? In the United States, 98% of pet health insurance policyholders have accident and illness coverage. This protects the owner financially no matter what goes wrong for their pet.

Will rates change in the future? Rates on pet health insurance may increase if your pet makes a claim in a given year. You can ask a company rep to explain how your pet’s health insurance rate may change if you make a claim. Additionally, you should ask whether an annual rate increase is expected (due to your pet aging a year).

How does the coverage treat chronic conditions? Not every PHI policy covers chronic conditions. And some policies have a waiting period for chronic condition coverage. Read the policy details or speak with a rep if this is a concern for you.

What is the monthly premium cost? Monthly premium costs can range from a few dollars to more than a hundred dollars. Generally, the higher the premium you pay, the lower the co-insurance you’ll have. However, premiums for pet insurance are all over the map — be sure to shop around to find the best rate on the best coverage.

Is there a cap on insurance payouts? Most pet health insurance policies come with an annual cap on payouts. A common cap on payouts is between $5,000 and $10,000 although there are options for no caps.

What is the pet owner’s share of co-insurance? Generally, a pet owner is responsible for 20% of a pet’s medical bills after the deductible is met. However, a pet owner may be responsible for anywhere from 0% to 35% of the costs.

How is the deductible set? It is important to clarify whether the deductible is set on a per-incident basis or on an annual basis.

Is there an age cutoff for pets? Many pet health insurance policies exclude coverage for pet babies up to 8 weeks of age and for aged pets over 12 years of age. If you have an older pet, this is an important question to consider.

Is Pet Insurance Right for You?

I am surprised by how few pet owners have pet insurance. Most people cannot afford a $1,000 pet-related emergency without going into credit card debt. Unless you have substantial savings, a pet insurance policy seems like a great deal. Even if you have a few thousand dollars in the bank, a policy with a high deductible can make the prospect of an expensive surgery easier to swallow.

As long as you shop around for the best deal, pet health insurance can be a cost-effective way to protect your bank account while you protect your pet’s health. It’s not necessary in the same way that human health insurance is, but for pet lovers, it could be the best few hundred dollars you spend each year.

The post The Ultimate Pet Insurance Guide: Is Pet Insurance Worth It? appeared first on The College Investor.

from The College Investor

In my experience, pet owners come in one of two groups. The first group loves their pet like it is their child, and they know it. The pet owners pick their housing based off of the proximity to a dog park or pet day-care location. They buy only the finest pet foods. These pet owners will do anything, including draining their bank account, for the well-being of their fur babies.

The second group has a more rational approach towards pet ownership. They buy mid-priced food for their pets, and try DIY methods for teeth cleaning to keep costs low. They say things like, “When Fido’s time comes, I’ll take her for a long walk, feed her a steak, and bring her in to the vet.” That is, they say those things until Fido’s time comes. Then, they will do anything, including draining their bank accounts, for the well-being of their fur baby.

For pet owners who really will do anything to keep their pets healthy, vet bills can add up. Treatments for bone fractures, cancer, and genetic conditions can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of pocket.

With such high costs, pet owners may want to consider pet health insurance (PHI) to cover unexpected expenses. But like many types of insurance, PHI can be confusing. This guide covers the ins and outs of pet health insurance, so you can make an informed decision about whether to buy it yourself.

Quick Navigation

What Is Pet Health Insurance?

What Does It Usually Cover?

What Is A Normal Deductible?

What Is the Co-Insurance Part of Pet Health Insurance?

What Companies Offer Pet Health Insurance?

How Much Does It Cost?

Things to Look for When Buying Pet Health Insurance

Is Pet Insurance Right for You?

What Is Pet Health Insurance?

Pet insurance is a type of property insurance that protects the financial well-being of pet owners.

When a domestic pet (such as a dog or a cat) becomes sick or injured, the owner of the pet must pay a vet for the pet’s care. If the owner is unable to cover the cost of the pet’s healthcare, the pet may end up in pain or dying due to lack of care.

Much like human health insurance, pet health insurance covers some or all of the costs of pet health needs. Generally, pet health insurance comes with an annual deductible (the amount that an owner is 100% responsible for) and a co-insurance requirement.

The co-insurance requirement means that the owner must pay for at least a percentage of the vet’s bills. Usually the insurer pays for 80% of expenses, and owners have a 20% co-insurance requirement.

In the United States, only about 2% of dog owners and 0.5% of cat owners carry pet health insurance today.

What Does It Usually Cover?

Normally, pet health insurance falls into one of three buckets. It can be wellness care which covers the cost of pet wellness (for example, flea treatments and annual vet visits). It can be accident and illness coverage which covers some or all of the cost of emergency vet visits. Or it can be comprehensive coverage which covers wellness, accidents, and illnesses.

What Is A Normal Deductible?

In insurance, a deductible is the amount a person must pay before the insurance coverage kicks in. Most insurance types, including homeowners, auto, and health insurance, have deductibles. Most PHI plans have a deductible.

A deductible under a pet health insurance plan can take two forms: annual or per-incident. An annual deductible is a set amount (say $500) that the pet owner must pay before the insurance kicks in. You only have to meet the annual deductible once per year. That means if Spot ends up at the vet four times, you pay the first $500 of costs for the year. Once the deductible is paid, you split the cost of the care with the insurance. Generally, the insurance company pays 80% of the rest of the cost, and the pet owner pays 20%.

Per-incident deductibles are a bit more complicated. You pay the deductible each time your pet visits the vet. Consider a plan with a $150-per-incident deductible. If your pet visits the vet four times, you will pay the $150 deductible four times, plus your share of the remaining cost.

What Is the Co-Insurance Part of Pet Health Insurance?

In general, insurers only cover part of a pet’s medical expenses, even after the deductible is met. Typically, the insurer pays 80% of costs, and the pet owner has to pay 20% of costs. This is called the co-insurance component.

What Companies Offer Pet Health Insurance?

The three largest companies that offer pet health insurance in the United States are Nationwide, Trupanion, and Healthy Paws. However, the pet insurance marketplace is rapidly growing, with lots of start-up companies offering competitive pricing on their insurance products.

Some of the newer entrants to the pet health insurance world are Pets Best, Embrace, Figo, PetFirst, and Petplan.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of pet health insurance depends on a number of factors. The biggest factors are the species of pet (dogs cost more than cats) and the age of your pet. Smaller factors include the breed (certain breeds are more prone to illness than others) and where you live. The amount of your deductible, and the co-insurance you choose, will also affect the rates.

The average premium for accident and illness coverage is $516 per year, but costs can be as high as $150 per month for comprehensive coverage for a large dog, or as low as $25 per month for dogs or $10 per month for cats.

Things to Look for When Buying Pet Health Insurance

When you’re thinking about buying pet health insurance, you need to consider a large number of factors. You’ll need to balance the coverage rules with the costs and benefits of the insurance.

Does this cover the right things? In the United States, 98% of pet health insurance policyholders have accident and illness coverage. This protects the owner financially no matter what goes wrong for their pet.

Will rates change in the future? Rates on pet health insurance may increase if your pet makes a claim in a given year. You can ask a company rep to explain how your pet’s health insurance rate may change if you make a claim. Additionally, you should ask whether an annual rate increase is expected (due to your pet aging a year).

How does the coverage treat chronic conditions? Not every PHI policy covers chronic conditions. And some policies have a waiting period for chronic condition coverage. Read the policy details or speak with a rep if this is a concern for you.

What is the monthly premium cost? Monthly premium costs can range from a few dollars to more than a hundred dollars. Generally, the higher the premium you pay, the lower the co-insurance you’ll have. However, premiums for pet insurance are all over the map — be sure to shop around to find the best rate on the best coverage.

Is there a cap on insurance payouts? Most pet health insurance policies come with an annual cap on payouts. A common cap on payouts is between $5,000 and $10,000 although there are options for no caps.

What is the pet owner’s share of co-insurance? Generally, a pet owner is responsible for 20% of a pet’s medical bills after the deductible is met. However, a pet owner may be responsible for anywhere from 0% to 35% of the costs.

How is the deductible set? It is important to clarify whether the deductible is set on a per-incident basis or on an annual basis.

Is there an age cutoff for pets? Many pet health insurance policies exclude coverage for pet babies up to 8 weeks of age and for aged pets over 12 years of age. If you have an older pet, this is an important question to consider.

Is Pet Insurance Right for You?

I am surprised by how few pet owners have pet insurance. Most people cannot afford a $1,000 pet-related emergency without going into credit card debt. Unless you have substantial savings, a pet insurance policy seems like a great deal. Even if you have a few thousand dollars in the bank, a policy with a high deductible can make the prospect of an expensive surgery easier to swallow.

As long as you shop around for the best deal, pet health insurance can be a cost-effective way to protect your bank account while you protect your pet’s health. It’s not necessary in the same way that human health insurance is, but for pet lovers, it could be the best few hundred dollars you spend each year.

The post The Ultimate Pet Insurance Guide: Is Pet Insurance Worth It? appeared first on The College Investor.

https://ift.tt/39kQBeQ March 04, 2020 at 11:15AM https://ift.tt/2IiDUW1

[catuallyhere]

Actually ants are pretty cheap

For real though, there are lots of cheap pets! Pretending that the only people who can keep pets ethically are middle to upper class put ESAs out of a lot of people's reach, which kind of sucks for mentally ill people. Of course, what's cheapest depends on geographic location, allergies, preferences, ability to put time over money, and other stuff like that- and cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, and exotics are especially demanding, and for sure the other common small pets are mistreated when they aren't given more than the minimum of what people expect to "have" to give. But if someone goes into it with reasonable expectations and dedication to be ethical, there are cheap pets. Worms, insects, some types of small critters, hell, stuff that qualifies as "animal food" for some people, they're still animals in their own right. They deserve care and attention but it would be a lot to say that caring is expensive when it's smaller enough to be factored into other animal's upkeep costs. It also depends on what you're planning on being able to spend and when- some animals have high start up costs, but super low maintenance, and some animals don't have vets you can even bring them to (small short lived animals like ants, or fish which commonly has owner practiced medical care especially for the tiny breeding heavy starter fish).

If someone needs help having a "cheap" cat even, it's possible!

Vet care

Initial cost

Furniture needs

Food

Litter

Toys

Flea and tick preventative/other types of medication

Emergency supplies

Are the basic groupings of cat necessities, and many of these things can be bought second hand, and so on. Not going to lie, this is hundreds of dollars, maybe even a thousand and up, which is more than many can commit to. Still, as long as the owner at least manages to feed gluten free wet food, has regular vet visits, and their needs are cared for, it doesn't have to be expensive expensive. I know some people who spend $4,000 on pets in a year, which just doesn't seem all that necessary simply to have an animal. That's an active choice by the owner to go above and beyond, which I respect, but not everyone wants or needs such a monetary commitment to pet care. Also having one animal to pour resources into rather than many might be a good priority to have.

And there are dirt cheap pets. Bees, for example- hundreds of dollars to start up a hive, but after that they find their own food, they give the owner honey, which can also provide monetary income. There are animals that can be kept in a bucket and fed veggies. Worms that will compost food, with maybe a few bucks extra a week on top of the worms themselves and the dirt and bucket they live in for food to cover a complete nutritionally and enriching diet. But that's not on the level of exotics, which often provide just as little one on one interaction.

And if someone has their heart set on a particular animal, there are even programs for pet care. People generally want animals to stay in their homes as much as possible. I should probably do a resource post about that at some point- there's food assistance, medical cost assistance, and more.

Long story short: you can have an animal and not pay a crap ton of money just to keep them.

There are no cheap pets. You’re creating a foreign and livable environment in captivity, be prepared to spend money.

[meraenthusiast]

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Paying Off Debt

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Paying Off Debt

[Editor’s Note: Today’s article is a guest post from Sam is the co-owner of How To FIRE, a blog that discusses financial independence and early retirement. She uses her BS in Finance and MBA to help others get control of their finances through budgeting, saving, investing, side hustles and travel hacking. Due to following the FIRE Movement’s principles, she was able to quit her high-stress job in the financial services industry in July 2019 to pursue her side hustles full-time. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her dog “Simba” and traveling with her husband, John..]

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If your finances are a bit out of control, there are many things you can do to gain back stability. Paying off debt is an essential part of getting your financial life in order.

While it may be overwhelming at first, do your research and take it one step at a time. There are many resources out there, such as the best personal finance blogs that can help you get started.

Debt can be crippling to your finances and create a sense of weight on your shoulders that never seems to go away. Not only does debt hinder you from saving for your future, but it inhibits you from living with the freedom you deserve.

Think about what you’d be able to accomplish if you didn’t have the obligation of handing over your paycheck to debt payments every month. You’d have the financial freedom to pay yourself first and live your life the way that you want.

That could include:

not living paycheck-to-paycheck

saving for retirement

funding family vacations

working a job that you love

not worrying about how much money you have

Now, you may think that paying off debt is as simple as throwing as much cash at your loans as possible, and you’d be partially right. However, there are many other factors to paying off debt that you may not have considered or may not even know about

With that in mind, here are six things you didn’t know about paying off debt.

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Paying Off Debt

1. Paying Off Debt Will Help You Retire Early

Your income is the most valuable wealth-building tool that you have. When you work on paying off debt, you are enabling your income to be used for a more fulfilling purpose.

You can put your income into savings rather than using it to pay bills. That is highly effective if you want to retire early, and even more so if you start saving sooner rather than later. This gives the power of compound interest the ability to work its magic over time.

When planning for financial independence (FI) or fatFIRE and early retirement, you need to calculate your savings rate, FI number, and years to FI. That is an easy thing to do using a FIRE Calculator, but your work doesn’t stop there.

You need to evaluate your current financial standing, make a plan, and follow-through. When it comes to getting control of your finances, the first step to making any progress is paying off debt in most situations. Paying off debt could be the first step towards reaching FIRE.

2. You’ll Create Job Flexibility

How often do you hear people say, “I hate my job?” Money is typically the driving force when it comes to staying in a job you hate and away from a job you could love. Other times, it stands in the way of pursuing a passion, entrepreneurship, or being a stay-at-home parent.

Paying off debt is a great way to free up money in your budget to create more flexibility when it comes to trading your time for money. That is because you will have fewer monetary obligations to fulfill every month.

Reducing the number of bills you pay every month could allow you the wiggle room needed to make a financially-safe transition. Whether you want jobs where you work alone or not to work at all, taking the pressure of debt off your shoulders can open up many doors for you and your family.

The debt-free life is excellent, isn’t it?

3. Your Credit Score Might Tank or Disappear

You might find yourself panicking and asking, “why did my credit score drop after paying off debt?” It’s supposed to help you, not hurt you. Unfortunately, it might not be the case in the short-term.

The two main factors that could affect your credit score while paying off debt are:

Credit utilization – measures your credit balance versus the number of credit lenders say you can have. It can be affected when you pay off debt from a low balance account, but the rest of your cards are maxed out.

Credit mix – refers to the type of debts you carry. In other words, a good credit score would have a variety of debt: mortgage, auto loan, credit cards, among others. When you pay off one type of debt, especially if it was on a set repayment cycle, it can negatively affect your credit.

Don’t worry, though, the amount of good you are doing for yourself far outweighs a number that the credit bureaus label you with. It’s very likely that it will crawl back up as time goes on so that you have a good credit score in the long-term.

Paying off debt is an essential part of getting your financial life together, so don’t let a decrease in credit score deter you or stop you in your tracks. Keep going!

To mitigate any hard-hits to your credit score, continue making on-time payments, and balancing your utilization rate. You can also consider paying off debt with high-interest rates first, like personal loans and credit cards.

If you pay off all your debt, it might even disappear altogether. The challenges of that are for another post, though.

4. More Money Will Appear in Your Budget

So, you may already know how to budget with debt, but have you thought about budgeting without it? You might be so excited about paying off debt that you haven’t had time to consider the opportunities that await.

The money that you have been earmarking for debt all this time is now able to be allocated elsewhere. While this can be tempting, don’t fall for lifestyle creep!

This is not your chance to upgrade your house or car or increase any other spending habits. Use this instead as a prime opportunity to invest in yourself by making smart financial choices.

Here are great examples of what you can do with the extra money that’s burning a hole in your pocket:

Build an emergency fund

Start or increase retirement contributions (IRAs and 401ks are an excellent place to start.)

Save for college expenses in a 529

Make a sinking fund for a vacation (utilize travel rewards to decrease your costs)

Invest in real estate, whether actively or passively

Start a business

When you use money wisely, it will help you to build wealth over time for yourself and your family.

5. Debt Strategies Affect Your Total Costs

If you’ve heard of Dave Ramsey, you’re probably familiar with the debt snowball and debt avalanche methods of paying off debt. While he believes that the debt snowball method is the only way to pay off debt since it increases motivation, I’m here to tell you to think again.

When you’re paying off debt, you need to go about it the right way. That involves thinking about how your debt payoff strategy will affect your total cost of debt. The financially savvy way of paying off debt is the debt avalanche method.

If you don’t already know how to apply this method to your finances, follow these steps:

Write out all your debts (auto loans, student loans, credit card debt, etc.)

Place them in order starting with the highest interest rate first until your lowest interest rate debt.

Pay the debts off in this order.

The idea here is that you will save money on the interest by paying off your highest interest rate debt first and then moving on to the next highest, and so on.

You could potentially save thousands by implementing this strategy alone. If you’re just starting your debt payoff journey, you probably didn’t know this.

Dave Ramsey thinks that starting with your smallest debt amount and moving through until you hit your largest debt amount is the right way to go (aka debt snowball method). However, anyone who can do simple math can see that this will cost you big time.

6. Debt Gets Sold for Pennies on the Dollar

Did you know that some debt is sold for pennies on the dollar?

Allowing debts to be purchased by debt buyers is one way that companies try to recoup the money that they lent you. So, make sure to vet whoever contacts you about existing debts, but don’t be surprised if your debt is now owned by someone else. This is especially relevant to those with credit card debt.

These debt buyers are more privy to high-risk investments, so they buy your debt for a fraction of what you owe. If you pay back a debt of $10,000 that they only paid $1,000 for, they collect an incredibly high return.

While this may seem like an incredibly narrow-minded business, some good has come from it. Companies like RIP Medical Debt accept donations to use for the same purpose. The difference? They buy medical debt for pennies on the dollar, but turn around and forgive it.

Can you imagine the relief that individuals and families feel from that? As of this post, the company has helped eradicate over $1 billion worth of debt!

Work on Paying Off Debt in 2020 and Beyond….

As you can see, there are many benefits to paying off debt 一 from something as seemingly inconceivable as financial freedom to something as simple as more money in your bank account. However, it’s essential to consider the other factors that will affect your debt-free journey.

Overall, continue making smart money moves in 2020 by paying off your debt. You’ll thank yourself later as you unlock the ability to shape your own life.

This article originally appeared on The Money Mix and has been republished with permission.

The post 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Paying Off Debt appeared first on Debt Free Dr..

from Debt Free Dr. https://ift.tt/2vWHAK0 via IFTTT

[paulckrueger]

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt

Climbing out of the black hole called credit card debt seems impossible.

Since credit cards have such high interest rates, making the minimum payment can feel like the cards will never get paid off.

Many of us have thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Even $30,000 to $50,000 worth of debt is more common than you think.

I know this can feel like a straight jacket that you’ll never escape. I still remember when my Mom discovered that my Dad had taken on $50K worth of credit card debt when I was little.  I’ll never forget the feelings of shame, fear, and uncertainty that the entire family felt for years until it was paid down.

There’s hope. Getting rid of credit card debt IS possible. Lots of folks have done it and so can you. If you trust the process and stick with it, it’s just a matter of time. You will get there.

The True Cost of Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt can sneak up on all of us.

A few months ago, my dog passed after 4 days at the VR emergency room. It was a complete surprise. At the end, we had a $10,000 vet bill hit us out of nowhere. Luckily, I had emergency savings to get me through it. Even if I didn’t have the money on hand, I would have racked up credit card debt and then figured out what to do afterwards.

Sometimes life hits you hard and a credit card is your only option.

And when things start to deteriorate, I have a habit of not wanting to look at the problem anymore.

Gained a few pounds over the holidays? Stop checking the scale. A critical number of work not improving like I need it to? Stop pulling up the report. Too much credit card debt? Stop checking my balance.

Then things really snowball.

“I’ll pay it all off next month,” becomes the monthly motto. The minimum fee gets paid and that’s it.

That’s when the interest rates hit deep.

Annual percentage rates (APR) are typically 15-20%. Let’s say that the total amount owed on a credit card is $10,000, with an APR of 20%, and a minimum payment of $200 per month.

Once that card has been fully paid off, over $9,000 worth of interest will have been paid.

That’s like having every store double the price of every purchase.

If you have a higher APR and only make minimum payments, you generally have to pay twice as much for everything on your credit card.

Compared to just about any other type of loan, the interest rates on credit cards are brutal. Not all debt is bad but credit card debt sucks. Get it paid off as soon as you can.

3 Options For Dealing With Credit Card Debt

Before we jump into the different methods on how to get rid of credit card debt, start by listing all your credit card debt in one place.

List out each card include:

The card

Amount owed

Minimum payment

APR

Put all of this in a spreadsheet, a note-taking app, or a notebook. Whatever you’re most comfortable with.

This will come in handy when working through any of the pay-off methods below.

It’s totally fine if you haven’t looked at this stuff in awhile, that’s normal. It’s also normal to be surprised by amounts or APR. Don’t feel guilty or shameful, you’re taking action which means you’re already ahead of the game.

Method #1: Pay off the highest APR first

Technically, this is the fastest method to paying off your credit cards.

Out of all your cards, find the one with the highest APR and then get as aggressive as possible with paying it down. Start by paying an extra $50 a month. Make double payments. Make payments every week. Look for ways to save money or make extra cash from a side hustle. Put every extra dollar towards that card.

Whatever it takes, attack the card with the highest APR. For your other cards, pay the minimum payment and then pretend they don’t exist.

By paying down the higher APR card first, you’ll reduce the total amount of interest that you’ll pay.

For example, let’s say I have a 20% APR card with $5,000 on it and a 15% APR card with $3,000 on it. I’d focus on the 20% APR card until it was paid off in full.

Method #2: Pay off the lowest balance first

This is commonly known as the snowball method of paying off credit cards.

Instead of going after the highest APR, we pay off the card with the lowest balance first.

Why would we do this?

Psychological momentum.

Paying off a credit card with a high APR might be the best method mathematically but you know what feels amazing? Paying off a card.

Getting a win in the bag feels incredible. You’ll get your confidence back, build up momentum, and be ready to take on a bigger challenge. The value of this win can not be overstated.

If you’re feeling unsure about all this, I highly recommend that you focus on the card with the lowest balance. Get aggressive, make as many payments as you can, and throw every spare dollar you can scrounge up toward that card.

Before you know it, you’ll have it paid off and you can move to the next card.

Method #3: Use the envelope system

Made famous by Dave Ramsey, the envelope system involves using physical envelopes and cash for all your spending.

This is a good option if you’ve tried other methods but still struggle to control your spending.

Grab a handful of blank envelopes. On the front of each, write the most critical budgetary expenditures like groceries, gas, household items, kid’s activities, and anything else that must be paid for each month. Each envelope will be one of your spending categories.

Look over your spending in the last few months and come up with an amount of money that will go into each envelope. Write that amount on the outside of the envelope. Make sure these amounts are sustainable and allow you to get ahead of your credit card payments.

On payday, withdraw the total amount due in all the envelopes and stuff each one and use that money to pay those bills. It’s critical that you do this with real cash.

Essential points in the envelope system:

No borrowing from one envelope to pay for another. Once an envelope is empty, it’s done for the month.

Revisit the envelope amounts each month if one goes empty quickly while the other is flush with cash.

If there’s leftover money in an envelope, do NOT roll it over into the next month.

Take the extra money and put it into savings or put the additional money towards that credit card debt.

This works by forcing you to make a conscious choice with every purchase. It also adds more weight to each purchase. Instead of swiping a credit card, using the envelopes forces you to pull out cash and watch it disappear. This helps folks make smarter decisions with their money.

How To Avoid Credit Card Debt Moving Forward

Once you get ahead of your debt, then what? How do we avoid sliding back into old habits?

Pay off your cards in full every month

Credit cards can be a great tool to building wealth and living a rich life.

But only if you follow one rule: you always pay your cards in full every month. If you do that, you avoid all fees and interest. Combine that with a few of the sweet rewards you get from the best credit cards and it’s like getting free money back.

Once you pay off your credit cards in full, figure out how much money you can put on your credit. I like rounding down to a number that’s easy to remember like $2,000. If my budget allows up to $2,000 in credit card spending each month, I’ll hold off on all purchases until my next payment cycle once I’ve spent close to $2,000. That way, I know I’ll be able to pay the card in full.

Use a single credit card

There are a ton of reward credit cards that have all sorts of rewards and parks. To maximize those rewards, folks will have multiple cards and use each one for different kinds of purchases.

That’s an advanced personal finance strategy.

If you’ve struggled with credit cards in the past, I highly recommend using only one card for spending.

When I got my second credit card, I couldn’t keep track of my own spending for about 6 months. It was too difficult to always remember how much of a balance I had on each card.

Keep things simple, only use one card. You’ll only have one balance that you need to track.

Only use multiple credit cards after you feel completely comfortable paying one card off in full every month.

Generate side income

If you have the time and talent for a side hustle, go for it.

Having a way to generate some extra cash when you need it really helps staying out of credit card debt.

Surprise expenses hit all of us. Right when you’re hitting your groove, you could get hit with a large, unexpected bill. Eventually, you’ll have an emergency savings account to absorb expenses like that. But when you’re getting out of credit card debt for the first time, you could get hit right when you find your footing.

Having a side hustle is a great way to absorb these shocks if they happen.

If you get hit or if you overspend one month, ramp up the side hustle to bring in some extra cash. This keeps you on top of your payments.

Do dog walking, meal prepping, graphic design programs, check websites like Fiverr and FlexJobs, Uber, or meal-delivery. This is also a great way to build up some extra cash flow so you can start paying down your credit cards in the first place.

Credit Cards: Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy?

Considering all that can go wrong, is it wise for a person to have credit cards at all?

Credit cards aren’t evil IF you pay them in full every month.

Not only can you get a bunch of rewards from them, they’ll help you build a good credit rating which will save you thousands of dollars when getting car loans or mortgages.

I use my cards for travel rewards. Every 1-2 years, I usually get round-trip business class tickets to anywhere in the world that only cost me about $100. That gets me once-in-a-lifetime experiences which cost me almost nothing.

You can get there too.

No matter how you owe, eliminating credit card debt is possible.

Look up all the credit card debt that you owe, pick one of the methods above, and get your debt paid off. Then stay on top of your credit cards by paying them off every month.

Then you’ll be on the path to building wealth and living your rich life.

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/credit-card-debt/

[samuelfields]

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt

Climbing out of the black hole called credit card debt seems impossible.

Since credit cards have such high interest rates, making the minimum payment can feel like the cards will never get paid off.

Many of us have thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Even $30,000 to $50,000 worth of debt is more common than you think.

I know this can feel like a straight jacket that you’ll never escape. I still remember when my Mom discovered that my Dad had taken on $50K worth of credit card debt when I was little.  I’ll never forget the feelings of shame, fear, and uncertainty that the entire family felt for years until it was paid down.

There’s hope. Getting rid of credit card debt IS possible. Lots of folks have done it and so can you. If you trust the process and stick with it, it’s just a matter of time. You will get there.

The True Cost of Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt can sneak up on all of us.

A few months ago, my dog passed after 4 days at the VR emergency room. It was a complete surprise. At the end, we had a $10,000 vet bill hit us out of nowhere. Luckily, I had emergency savings to get me through it. Even if I didn’t have the money on hand, I would have racked up credit card debt and then figured out what to do afterwards.

Sometimes life hits you hard and a credit card is your only option.

And when things start to deteriorate, I have a habit of not wanting to look at the problem anymore.

Gained a few pounds over the holidays? Stop checking the scale. A critical number of work not improving like I need it to? Stop pulling up the report. Too much credit card debt? Stop checking my balance.

Then things really snowball.

“I’ll pay it all off next month,” becomes the monthly motto. The minimum fee gets paid and that’s it.

That’s when the interest rates hit deep.

Annual percentage rates (APR) are typically 15-20%. Let’s say that the total amount owed on a credit card is $10,000, with an APR of 20%, and a minimum payment of $200 per month.

Once that card has been fully paid off, over $9,000 worth of interest will have been paid.

That’s like having every store double the price of every purchase.

If you have a higher APR and only make minimum payments, you generally have to pay twice as much for everything on your credit card.

Compared to just about any other type of loan, the interest rates on credit cards are brutal. Not all debt is bad but credit card debt sucks. Get it paid off as soon as you can.

3 Options For Dealing With Credit Card Debt

Before we jump into the different methods on how to get rid of credit card debt, start by listing all your credit card debt in one place.

List out each card include:

The card

Amount owed

Minimum payment

APR

Put all of this in a spreadsheet, a note-taking app, or a notebook. Whatever you’re most comfortable with.

This will come in handy when working through any of the pay-off methods below.

It’s totally fine if you haven’t looked at this stuff in awhile, that’s normal. It’s also normal to be surprised by amounts or APR. Don’t feel guilty or shameful, you’re taking action which means you’re already ahead of the game.

Method #1: Pay off the highest APR first

Technically, this is the fastest method to paying off your credit cards.

Out of all your cards, find the one with the highest APR and then get as aggressive as possible with paying it down. Start by paying an extra $50 a month. Make double payments. Make payments every week. Look for ways to save money or make extra cash from a side hustle. Put every extra dollar towards that card.

Whatever it takes, attack the card with the highest APR. For your other cards, pay the minimum payment and then pretend they don’t exist.

By paying down the higher APR card first, you’ll reduce the total amount of interest that you’ll pay.

For example, let’s say I have a 20% APR card with $5,000 on it and a 15% APR card with $3,000 on it. I’d focus on the 20% APR card until it was paid off in full.

Method #2: Pay off the lowest balance first

This is commonly known as the snowball method of paying off credit cards.

Instead of going after the highest APR, we pay off the card with the lowest balance first.

Why would we do this?

Psychological momentum.

Paying off a credit card with a high APR might be the best method mathematically but you know what feels amazing? Paying off a card.

Getting a win in the bag feels incredible. You’ll get your confidence back, build up momentum, and be ready to take on a bigger challenge. The value of this win can not be overstated.

If you’re feeling unsure about all this, I highly recommend that you focus on the card with the lowest balance. Get aggressive, make as many payments as you can, and throw every spare dollar you can scrounge up toward that card.

Before you know it, you’ll have it paid off and you can move to the next card.

Method #3: Use the envelope system

Made famous by Dave Ramsey, the envelope system involves using physical envelopes and cash for all your spending.

This is a good option if you’ve tried other methods but still struggle to control your spending.

Grab a handful of blank envelopes. On the front of each, write the most critical budgetary expenditures like groceries, gas, household items, kid’s activities, and anything else that must be paid for each month. Each envelope will be one of your spending categories.

Look over your spending in the last few months and come up with an amount of money that will go into each envelope. Write that amount on the outside of the envelope. Make sure these amounts are sustainable and allow you to get ahead of your credit card payments.

On payday, withdraw the total amount due in all the envelopes and stuff each one and use that money to pay those bills. It’s critical that you do this with real cash.

Essential points in the envelope system:

No borrowing from one envelope to pay for another. Once an envelope is empty, it’s done for the month.

Revisit the envelope amounts each month if one goes empty quickly while the other is flush with cash.

If there’s leftover money in an envelope, do NOT roll it over into the next month.

Take the extra money and put it into savings or put the additional money towards that credit card debt.

This works by forcing you to make a conscious choice with every purchase. It also adds more weight to each purchase. Instead of swiping a credit card, using the envelopes forces you to pull out cash and watch it disappear. This helps folks make smarter decisions with their money.

How To Avoid Credit Card Debt Moving Forward

Once you get ahead of your debt, then what? How do we avoid sliding back into old habits?

Pay off your cards in full every month

Credit cards can be a great tool to building wealth and living a rich life.

But only if you follow one rule: you always pay your cards in full every month. If you do that, you avoid all fees and interest. Combine that with a few of the sweet rewards you get from the best credit cards and it’s like getting free money back.

Once you pay off your credit cards in full, figure out how much money you can put on your credit. I like rounding down to a number that’s easy to remember like $2,000. If my budget allows up to $2,000 in credit card spending each month, I’ll hold off on all purchases until my next payment cycle once I’ve spent close to $2,000. That way, I know I’ll be able to pay the card in full.

Use a single credit card

There are a ton of reward credit cards that have all sorts of rewards and parks. To maximize those rewards, folks will have multiple cards and use each one for different kinds of purchases.

That’s an advanced personal finance strategy.

If you’ve struggled with credit cards in the past, I highly recommend using only one card for spending.

When I got my second credit card, I couldn’t keep track of my own spending for about 6 months. It was too difficult to always remember how much of a balance I had on each card.

Keep things simple, only use one card. You’ll only have one balance that you need to track.

Only use multiple credit cards after you feel completely comfortable paying one card off in full every month.

Generate side income

If you have the time and talent for a side hustle, go for it.

Having a way to generate some extra cash when you need it really helps staying out of credit card debt.

Surprise expenses hit all of us. Right when you’re hitting your groove, you could get hit with a large, unexpected bill. Eventually, you’ll have an emergency savings account to absorb expenses like that. But when you’re getting out of credit card debt for the first time, you could get hit right when you find your footing.

Having a side hustle is a great way to absorb these shocks if they happen.

If you get hit or if you overspend one month, ramp up the side hustle to bring in some extra cash. This keeps you on top of your payments.

Do dog walking, meal prepping, graphic design programs, check websites like Fiverr and FlexJobs, Uber, or meal-delivery. This is also a great way to build up some extra cash flow so you can start paying down your credit cards in the first place.

Credit Cards: Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy?

Considering all that can go wrong, is it wise for a person to have credit cards at all?

Credit cards aren’t evil IF you pay them in full every month.

Not only can you get a bunch of rewards from them, they’ll help you build a good credit rating which will save you thousands of dollars when getting car loans or mortgages.

I use my cards for travel rewards. Every 1-2 years, I usually get round-trip business class tickets to anywhere in the world that only cost me about $100. That gets me once-in-a-lifetime experiences which cost me almost nothing.

You can get there too.

No matter how you owe, eliminating credit card debt is possible.

Look up all the credit card debt that you owe, pick one of the methods above, and get your debt paid off. Then stay on top of your credit cards by paying them off every month.

Then you’ll be on the path to building wealth and living your rich life.

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/credit-card-debt/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[kennethherrerablog]

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt

Climbing out of the black hole called credit card debt seems impossible.

Since credit cards have such high interest rates, making the minimum payment can feel like the cards will never get paid off.

Many of us have thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Even $30,000 to $50,000 worth of debt is more common than you think.

I know this can feel like a straight jacket that you’ll never escape. I still remember when my Mom discovered that my Dad had taken on $50K worth of credit card debt when I was little.  I’ll never forget the feelings of shame, fear, and uncertainty that the entire family felt for years until it was paid down.

There’s hope. Getting rid of credit card debt IS possible. Lots of folks have done it and so can you. If you trust the process and stick with it, it’s just a matter of time. You will get there.

The True Cost of Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt can sneak up on all of us.

A few months ago, my dog passed after 4 days at the VR emergency room. It was a complete surprise. At the end, we had a $10,000 vet bill hit us out of nowhere. Luckily, I had emergency savings to get me through it. Even if I didn’t have the money on hand, I would have racked up credit card debt and then figured out what to do afterwards.

Sometimes life hits you hard and a credit card is your only option.

And when things start to deteriorate, I have a habit of not wanting to look at the problem anymore.

Gained a few pounds over the holidays? Stop checking the scale. A critical number of work not improving like I need it to? Stop pulling up the report. Too much credit card debt? Stop checking my balance.

Then things really snowball.

“I’ll pay it all off next month,” becomes the monthly motto. The minimum fee gets paid and that’s it.

That’s when the interest rates hit deep.

Annual percentage rates (APR) are typically 15-20%. Let’s say that the total amount owed on a credit card is $10,000, with an APR of 20%, and a minimum payment of $200 per month.

Once that card has been fully paid off, over $9,000 worth of interest will have been paid.

That’s like having every store double the price of every purchase.

If you have a higher APR and only make minimum payments, you generally have to pay twice as much for everything on your credit card.

Compared to just about any other type of loan, the interest rates on credit cards are brutal. Not all debt is bad but credit card debt sucks. Get it paid off as soon as you can.

3 Options For Dealing With Credit Card Debt

Before we jump into the different methods on how to get rid of credit card debt, start by listing all your credit card debt in one place.

List out each card include:

The card

Amount owed

Minimum payment

APR

Put all of this in a spreadsheet, a note-taking app, or a notebook. Whatever you’re most comfortable with.

This will come in handy when working through any of the pay-off methods below.

It’s totally fine if you haven’t looked at this stuff in awhile, that’s normal. It’s also normal to be surprised by amounts or APR. Don’t feel guilty or shameful, you’re taking action which means you’re already ahead of the game.

Method #1: Pay off the highest APR first

Technically, this is the fastest method to paying off your credit cards.

Out of all your cards, find the one with the highest APR and then get as aggressive as possible with paying it down. Start by paying an extra $50 a month. Make double payments. Make payments every week. Look for ways to save money or make extra cash from a side hustle. Put every extra dollar towards that card.

Whatever it takes, attack the card with the highest APR. For your other cards, pay the minimum payment and then pretend they don’t exist.

By paying down the higher APR card first, you’ll reduce the total amount of interest that you’ll pay.

For example, let’s say I have a 20% APR card with $5,000 on it and a 15% APR card with $3,000 on it. I’d focus on the 20% APR card until it was paid off in full.

Method #2: Pay off the lowest balance first

This is commonly known as the snowball method of paying off credit cards.

Instead of going after the highest APR, we pay off the card with the lowest balance first.

Why would we do this?

Psychological momentum.

Paying off a credit card with a high APR might be the best method mathematically but you know what feels amazing? Paying off a card.

Getting a win in the bag feels incredible. You’ll get your confidence back, build up momentum, and be ready to take on a bigger challenge. The value of this win can not be overstated.

If you’re feeling unsure about all this, I highly recommend that you focus on the card with the lowest balance. Get aggressive, make as many payments as you can, and throw every spare dollar you can scrounge up toward that card.

Before you know it, you’ll have it paid off and you can move to the next card.

Method #3: Use the envelope system

Made famous by Dave Ramsey, the envelope system involves using physical envelopes and cash for all your spending.

This is a good option if you’ve tried other methods but still struggle to control your spending.

Grab a handful of blank envelopes. On the front of each, write the most critical budgetary expenditures like groceries, gas, household items, kid’s activities, and anything else that must be paid for each month. Each envelope will be one of your spending categories.

Look over your spending in the last few months and come up with an amount of money that will go into each envelope. Write that amount on the outside of the envelope. Make sure these amounts are sustainable and allow you to get ahead of your credit card payments.

On payday, withdraw the total amount due in all the envelopes and stuff each one and use that money to pay those bills. It’s critical that you do this with real cash.

Essential points in the envelope system:

No borrowing from one envelope to pay for another. Once an envelope is empty, it’s done for the month.

Revisit the envelope amounts each month if one goes empty quickly while the other is flush with cash.

If there’s leftover money in an envelope, do NOT roll it over into the next month.

Take the extra money and put it into savings or put the additional money towards that credit card debt.

This works by forcing you to make a conscious choice with every purchase. It also adds more weight to each purchase. Instead of swiping a credit card, using the envelopes forces you to pull out cash and watch it disappear. This helps folks make smarter decisions with their money.

How To Avoid Credit Card Debt Moving Forward

Once you get ahead of your debt, then what? How do we avoid sliding back into old habits?

Pay off your cards in full every month

Credit cards can be a great tool to building wealth and living a rich life.

But only if you follow one rule: you always pay your cards in full every month. If you do that, you avoid all fees and interest. Combine that with a few of the sweet rewards you get from the best credit cards and it’s like getting free money back.

Once you pay off your credit cards in full, figure out how much money you can put on your credit. I like rounding down to a number that’s easy to remember like $2,000. If my budget allows up to $2,000 in credit card spending each month, I’ll hold off on all purchases until my next payment cycle once I’ve spent close to $2,000. That way, I know I’ll be able to pay the card in full.

Use a single credit card

There are a ton of reward credit cards that have all sorts of rewards and parks. To maximize those rewards, folks will have multiple cards and use each one for different kinds of purchases.

That’s an advanced personal finance strategy.

If you’ve struggled with credit cards in the past, I highly recommend using only one card for spending.

When I got my second credit card, I couldn’t keep track of my own spending for about 6 months. It was too difficult to always remember how much of a balance I had on each card.

Keep things simple, only use one card. You’ll only have one balance that you need to track.

Only use multiple credit cards after you feel completely comfortable paying one card off in full every month.

Generate side income

If you have the time and talent for a side hustle, go for it.

Having a way to generate some extra cash when you need it really helps staying out of credit card debt.

Surprise expenses hit all of us. Right when you’re hitting your groove, you could get hit with a large, unexpected bill. Eventually, you’ll have an emergency savings account to absorb expenses like that. But when you’re getting out of credit card debt for the first time, you could get hit right when you find your footing.

Having a side hustle is a great way to absorb these shocks if they happen.

If you get hit or if you overspend one month, ramp up the side hustle to bring in some extra cash. This keeps you on top of your payments.

Do dog walking, meal prepping, graphic design programs, check websites like Fiverr and FlexJobs, Uber, or meal-delivery. This is also a great way to build up some extra cash flow so you can start paying down your credit cards in the first place.

Credit Cards: Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy?

Considering all that can go wrong, is it wise for a person to have credit cards at all?

Credit cards aren’t evil IF you pay them in full every month.

Not only can you get a bunch of rewards from them, they’ll help you build a good credit rating which will save you thousands of dollars when getting car loans or mortgages.

I use my cards for travel rewards. Every 1-2 years, I usually get round-trip business class tickets to anywhere in the world that only cost me about $100. That gets me once-in-a-lifetime experiences which cost me almost nothing.

You can get there too.

No matter how you owe, eliminating credit card debt is possible.

Look up all the credit card debt that you owe, pick one of the methods above, and get your debt paid off. Then stay on top of your credit cards by paying them off every month.

Then you’ll be on the path to building wealth and living your rich life.

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[mcjoelcain]

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt

Climbing out of the black hole called credit card debt seems impossible.

Since credit cards have such high interest rates, making the minimum payment can feel like the cards will never get paid off.

Many of us have thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Even $30,000 to $50,000 worth of debt is more common than you think.

I know this can feel like a straight jacket that you’ll never escape. I still remember when my Mom discovered that my Dad had taken on $50K worth of credit card debt when I was little.  I’ll never forget the feelings of shame, fear, and uncertainty that the entire family felt for years until it was paid down.

There’s hope. Getting rid of credit card debt IS possible. Lots of folks have done it and so can you. If you trust the process and stick with it, it’s just a matter of time. You will get there.

The True Cost of Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt can sneak up on all of us.

A few months ago, my dog passed after 4 days at the VR emergency room. It was a complete surprise. At the end, we had a $10,000 vet bill hit us out of nowhere. Luckily, I had emergency savings to get me through it. Even if I didn’t have the money on hand, I would have racked up credit card debt and then figured out what to do afterwards.

Sometimes life hits you hard and a credit card is your only option.

And when things start to deteriorate, I have a habit of not wanting to look at the problem anymore.

Gained a few pounds over the holidays? Stop checking the scale. A critical number of work not improving like I need it to? Stop pulling up the report. Too much credit card debt? Stop checking my balance.

Then things really snowball.

“I’ll pay it all off next month,” becomes the monthly motto. The minimum fee gets paid and that’s it.

That’s when the interest rates hit deep.

Annual percentage rates (APR) are typically 15-20%. Let’s say that the total amount owed on a credit card is $10,000, with an APR of 20%, and a minimum payment of $200 per month.

Once that card has been fully paid off, over $9,000 worth of interest will have been paid.

That’s like having every store double the price of every purchase.

If you have a higher APR and only make minimum payments, you generally have to pay twice as much for everything on your credit card.

Compared to just about any other type of loan, the interest rates on credit cards are brutal. Not all debt is bad but credit card debt sucks. Get it paid off as soon as you can.

3 Options For Dealing With Credit Card Debt

Before we jump into the different methods on how to get rid of credit card debt, start by listing all your credit card debt in one place.

List out each card include:

The card

Amount owed

Minimum payment

APR

Put all of this in a spreadsheet, a note-taking app, or a notebook. Whatever you’re most comfortable with.

This will come in handy when working through any of the pay-off methods below.

It’s totally fine if you haven’t looked at this stuff in awhile, that’s normal. It’s also normal to be surprised by amounts or APR. Don’t feel guilty or shameful, you’re taking action which means you’re already ahead of the game.

Method #1: Pay off the highest APR first

Technically, this is the fastest method to paying off your credit cards.

Out of all your cards, find the one with the highest APR and then get as aggressive as possible with paying it down. Start by paying an extra $50 a month. Make double payments. Make payments every week. Look for ways to save money or make extra cash from a side hustle. Put every extra dollar towards that card.

Whatever it takes, attack the card with the highest APR. For your other cards, pay the minimum payment and then pretend they don’t exist.

By paying down the higher APR card first, you’ll reduce the total amount of interest that you’ll pay.

For example, let’s say I have a 20% APR card with $5,000 on it and a 15% APR card with $3,000 on it. I’d focus on the 20% APR card until it was paid off in full.

Method #2: Pay off the lowest balance first

This is commonly known as the snowball method of paying off credit cards.

Instead of going after the highest APR, we pay off the card with the lowest balance first.

Why would we do this?

Psychological momentum.

Paying off a credit card with a high APR might be the best method mathematically but you know what feels amazing? Paying off a card.

Getting a win in the bag feels incredible. You’ll get your confidence back, build up momentum, and be ready to take on a bigger challenge. The value of this win can not be overstated.

If you’re feeling unsure about all this, I highly recommend that you focus on the card with the lowest balance. Get aggressive, make as many payments as you can, and throw every spare dollar you can scrounge up toward that card.

Before you know it, you’ll have it paid off and you can move to the next card.

Method #3: Use the envelope system

Made famous by Dave Ramsey, the envelope system involves using physical envelopes and cash for all your spending.

This is a good option if you’ve tried other methods but still struggle to control your spending.

Grab a handful of blank envelopes. On the front of each, write the most critical budgetary expenditures like groceries, gas, household items, kid’s activities, and anything else that must be paid for each month. Each envelope will be one of your spending categories.

Look over your spending in the last few months and come up with an amount of money that will go into each envelope. Write that amount on the outside of the envelope. Make sure these amounts are sustainable and allow you to get ahead of your credit card payments.

On payday, withdraw the total amount due in all the envelopes and stuff each one and use that money to pay those bills. It’s critical that you do this with real cash.

Essential points in the envelope system:

No borrowing from one envelope to pay for another. Once an envelope is empty, it’s done for the month.

Revisit the envelope amounts each month if one goes empty quickly while the other is flush with cash.

If there’s leftover money in an envelope, do NOT roll it over into the next month.

Take the extra money and put it into savings or put the additional money towards that credit card debt.

This works by forcing you to make a conscious choice with every purchase. It also adds more weight to each purchase. Instead of swiping a credit card, using the envelopes forces you to pull out cash and watch it disappear. This helps folks make smarter decisions with their money.

How To Avoid Credit Card Debt Moving Forward

Once you get ahead of your debt, then what? How do we avoid sliding back into old habits?

Pay off your cards in full every month

Credit cards can be a great tool to building wealth and living a rich life.

But only if you follow one rule: you always pay your cards in full every month. If you do that, you avoid all fees and interest. Combine that with a few of the sweet rewards you get from the best credit cards and it’s like getting free money back.

Once you pay off your credit cards in full, figure out how much money you can put on your credit. I like rounding down to a number that’s easy to remember like $2,000. If my budget allows up to $2,000 in credit card spending each month, I’ll hold off on all purchases until my next payment cycle once I’ve spent close to $2,000. That way, I know I’ll be able to pay the card in full.

Use a single credit card

There are a ton of reward credit cards that have all sorts of rewards and parks. To maximize those rewards, folks will have multiple cards and use each one for different kinds of purchases.

That’s an advanced personal finance strategy.

If you’ve struggled with credit cards in the past, I highly recommend using only one card for spending.

When I got my second credit card, I couldn’t keep track of my own spending for about 6 months. It was too difficult to always remember how much of a balance I had on each card.

Keep things simple, only use one card. You’ll only have one balance that you need to track.

Only use multiple credit cards after you feel completely comfortable paying one card off in full every month.

Generate side income

If you have the time and talent for a side hustle, go for it.

Having a way to generate some extra cash when you need it really helps staying out of credit card debt.

Surprise expenses hit all of us. Right when you’re hitting your groove, you could get hit with a large, unexpected bill. Eventually, you’ll have an emergency savings account to absorb expenses like that. But when you’re getting out of credit card debt for the first time, you could get hit right when you find your footing.

Having a side hustle is a great way to absorb these shocks if they happen.

If you get hit or if you overspend one month, ramp up the side hustle to bring in some extra cash. This keeps you on top of your payments.

Do dog walking, meal prepping, graphic design programs, check websites like Fiverr and FlexJobs, Uber, or meal-delivery. This is also a great way to build up some extra cash flow so you can start paying down your credit cards in the first place.

Credit Cards: Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy?

Considering all that can go wrong, is it wise for a person to have credit cards at all?

Credit cards aren’t evil IF you pay them in full every month.

Not only can you get a bunch of rewards from them, they’ll help you build a good credit rating which will save you thousands of dollars when getting car loans or mortgages.

I use my cards for travel rewards. Every 1-2 years, I usually get round-trip business class tickets to anywhere in the world that only cost me about $100. That gets me once-in-a-lifetime experiences which cost me almost nothing.

You can get there too.

No matter how you owe, eliminating credit card debt is possible.

Look up all the credit card debt that you owe, pick one of the methods above, and get your debt paid off. Then stay on top of your credit cards by paying them off every month.

Then you’ll be on the path to building wealth and living your rich life.

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Money https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/credit-card-debt/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[andrewdburton]

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt

Climbing out of the black hole called credit card debt seems impossible.

Since credit cards have such high interest rates, making the minimum payment can feel like the cards will never get paid off.

Many of us have thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Even $30,000 to $50,000 worth of debt is more common than you think.

I know this can feel like a straight jacket that you’ll never escape. I still remember when my Mom discovered that my Dad had taken on $50K worth of credit card debt when I was little.  I’ll never forget the feelings of shame, fear, and uncertainty that the entire family felt for years until it was paid down.

There’s hope. Getting rid of credit card debt IS possible. Lots of folks have done it and so can you. If you trust the process and stick with it, it’s just a matter of time. You will get there.

The True Cost of Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt can sneak up on all of us.

A few months ago, my dog passed after 4 days at the VR emergency room. It was a complete surprise. At the end, we had a $10,000 vet bill hit us out of nowhere. Luckily, I had emergency savings to get me through it. Even if I didn’t have the money on hand, I would have racked up credit card debt and then figured out what to do afterwards.

Sometimes life hits you hard and a credit card is your only option.

And when things start to deteriorate, I have a habit of not wanting to look at the problem anymore.

Gained a few pounds over the holidays? Stop checking the scale. A critical number of work not improving like I need it to? Stop pulling up the report. Too much credit card debt? Stop checking my balance.

Then things really snowball.

“I’ll pay it all off next month,” becomes the monthly motto. The minimum fee gets paid and that’s it.

That’s when the interest rates hit deep.

Annual percentage rates (APR) are typically 15-20%. Let’s say that the total amount owed on a credit card is $10,000, with an APR of 20%, and a minimum payment of $200 per month.

Once that card has been fully paid off, over $9,000 worth of interest will have been paid.

That’s like having every store double the price of every purchase.

If you have a higher APR and only make minimum payments, you generally have to pay twice as much for everything on your credit card.

Compared to just about any other type of loan, the interest rates on credit cards are brutal. Not all debt is bad but credit card debt sucks. Get it paid off as soon as you can.

3 Options For Dealing With Credit Card Debt

Before we jump into the different methods on how to get rid of credit card debt, start by listing all your credit card debt in one place.

List out each card include:

The card

Amount owed

Minimum payment

APR

Put all of this in a spreadsheet, a note-taking app, or a notebook. Whatever you’re most comfortable with.

This will come in handy when working through any of the pay-off methods below.

It’s totally fine if you haven’t looked at this stuff in awhile, that’s normal. It’s also normal to be surprised by amounts or APR. Don’t feel guilty or shameful, you’re taking action which means you’re already ahead of the game.

Method #1: Pay off the highest APR first

Technically, this is the fastest method to paying off your credit cards.

Out of all your cards, find the one with the highest APR and then get as aggressive as possible with paying it down. Start by paying an extra $50 a month. Make double payments. Make payments every week. Look for ways to save money or make extra cash from a side hustle. Put every extra dollar towards that card.

Whatever it takes, attack the card with the highest APR. For your other cards, pay the minimum payment and then pretend they don’t exist.

By paying down the higher APR card first, you’ll reduce the total amount of interest that you’ll pay.

For example, let’s say I have a 20% APR card with $5,000 on it and a 15% APR card with $3,000 on it. I’d focus on the 20% APR card until it was paid off in full.

Method #2: Pay off the lowest balance first

This is commonly known as the snowball method of paying off credit cards.

Instead of going after the highest APR, we pay off the card with the lowest balance first.

Why would we do this?

Psychological momentum.

Paying off a credit card with a high APR might be the best method mathematically but you know what feels amazing? Paying off a card.

Getting a win in the bag feels incredible. You’ll get your confidence back, build up momentum, and be ready to take on a bigger challenge. The value of this win can not be overstated.

If you’re feeling unsure about all this, I highly recommend that you focus on the card with the lowest balance. Get aggressive, make as many payments as you can, and throw every spare dollar you can scrounge up toward that card.

Before you know it, you’ll have it paid off and you can move to the next card.

Method #3: Use the envelope system

Made famous by Dave Ramsey, the envelope system involves using physical envelopes and cash for all your spending.

This is a good option if you’ve tried other methods but still struggle to control your spending.

Grab a handful of blank envelopes. On the front of each, write the most critical budgetary expenditures like groceries, gas, household items, kid’s activities, and anything else that must be paid for each month. Each envelope will be one of your spending categories.

Look over your spending in the last few months and come up with an amount of money that will go into each envelope. Write that amount on the outside of the envelope. Make sure these amounts are sustainable and allow you to get ahead of your credit card payments.

On payday, withdraw the total amount due in all the envelopes and stuff each one and use that money to pay those bills. It’s critical that you do this with real cash.

Essential points in the envelope system:

No borrowing from one envelope to pay for another. Once an envelope is empty, it’s done for the month.

Revisit the envelope amounts each month if one goes empty quickly while the other is flush with cash.

If there’s leftover money in an envelope, do NOT roll it over into the next month.

Take the extra money and put it into savings or put the additional money towards that credit card debt.

This works by forcing you to make a conscious choice with every purchase. It also adds more weight to each purchase. Instead of swiping a credit card, using the envelopes forces you to pull out cash and watch it disappear. This helps folks make smarter decisions with their money.

How To Avoid Credit Card Debt Moving Forward

Once you get ahead of your debt, then what? How do we avoid sliding back into old habits?

Pay off your cards in full every month

Credit cards can be a great tool to building wealth and living a rich life.

But only if you follow one rule: you always pay your cards in full every month. If you do that, you avoid all fees and interest. Combine that with a few of the sweet rewards you get from the best credit cards and it’s like getting free money back.

Once you pay off your credit cards in full, figure out how much money you can put on your credit. I like rounding down to a number that’s easy to remember like $2,000. If my budget allows up to $2,000 in credit card spending each month, I’ll hold off on all purchases until my next payment cycle once I’ve spent close to $2,000. That way, I know I’ll be able to pay the card in full.

Use a single credit card

There are a ton of reward credit cards that have all sorts of rewards and parks. To maximize those rewards, folks will have multiple cards and use each one for different kinds of purchases.

That’s an advanced personal finance strategy.

If you’ve struggled with credit cards in the past, I highly recommend using only one card for spending.

When I got my second credit card, I couldn’t keep track of my own spending for about 6 months. It was too difficult to always remember how much of a balance I had on each card.

Keep things simple, only use one card. You’ll only have one balance that you need to track.

Only use multiple credit cards after you feel completely comfortable paying one card off in full every month.

Generate side income

If you have the time and talent for a side hustle, go for it.

Having a way to generate some extra cash when you need it really helps staying out of credit card debt.

Surprise expenses hit all of us. Right when you’re hitting your groove, you could get hit with a large, unexpected bill. Eventually, you’ll have an emergency savings account to absorb expenses like that. But when you’re getting out of credit card debt for the first time, you could get hit right when you find your footing.

Having a side hustle is a great way to absorb these shocks if they happen.

If you get hit or if you overspend one month, ramp up the side hustle to bring in some extra cash. This keeps you on top of your payments.

Do dog walking, meal prepping, graphic design programs, check websites like Fiverr and FlexJobs, Uber, or meal-delivery. This is also a great way to build up some extra cash flow so you can start paying down your credit cards in the first place.

Credit Cards: Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy?

Considering all that can go wrong, is it wise for a person to have credit cards at all?

Credit cards aren’t evil IF you pay them in full every month.

Not only can you get a bunch of rewards from them, they’ll help you build a good credit rating which will save you thousands of dollars when getting car loans or mortgages.

I use my cards for travel rewards. Every 1-2 years, I usually get round-trip business class tickets to anywhere in the world that only cost me about $100. That gets me once-in-a-lifetime experiences which cost me almost nothing.

You can get there too.

No matter how you owe, eliminating credit card debt is possible.

Look up all the credit card debt that you owe, pick one of the methods above, and get your debt paid off. Then stay on top of your credit cards by paying them off every month.

Then you’ll be on the path to building wealth and living your rich life.

How To Deal With Credit Card Debt is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/credit-card-debt/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[daddyslittlejuliet]

5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs

The post 5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs by Jessica Pineda appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Ah, Thanksgiving. Food, family… and frayed nerves from cooking a massive meal or traveling to a relative’s house. With all the chaos of preparing for Thanksgiving, be it getting your house ready to host extended family or packing for a trip, we might not think about what stress a dog could be under when his home is filled with people, or what dangers might come from so much food lying around. So, how do you ensure you have a safe Thanksgiving with dogs in the picture? Here are a few common mishaps — and how to avoid each of them.

1. Don’t let your dog eat turkey (or any Thanksgiving foods, really)

Is Thanksgiving turkey safe for dogs to eat? Photography ©JasonOndreicka | Thinkstock.

It’s tempting to give your dog some Thanksgiving turkey and mashed potatoes, but this is a surefire way to create a Thanksgiving catastrophe. At the very least, it’ll lead to an upset tummy.

“It’s not uncommon during the Thanksgiving holiday that we see pet insurance claims for intoxication, pancreatitis and gastroenteritis,” says Dawn Pyne, marketing manager for Embrace Pet Insurance, which is based in Cleveland, Ohio. “Most people food is heavily seasoned, which can lead to the gastro irritations. And there is food that is downright poisonous to dogs, like xylitol, chocolate and grapes.”

The following is what Pyne sees most often in insurance claims post-Thanksgiving:

Gastroenteritis from eating unfamiliar and seasoned people foods

Acute pancreatitis from eating large amounts of fatty foods, like dark turkey meat, turkey skin, ham or cheeses

Intoxication from xylitol from eating food with this sugar substitute (sugar-free); from chocolate, since dogs are not able to metabolize theobromine and caffeine; and from raisins, currant or grapes, which can be toxic to dogs.

Be safe, rather than sorry: Don’t feed your dog table scraps from the Thanksgiving feast. Keep an eye on your guests, too, who might like to sneak pieces of food to your dog when you’re not looking. For my German Shepherd Dog’s first Thanksgiving with the family, I had to yell at my brother-in-law and niece not to feed my dog ham. “It’s too salty!” was basically my catchphrase for the night.

So, how do you know if your dog might have eaten something he shouldn’t? Look for signs of vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration, Pyne says. If your dog exhibits those symptoms, get your dog to a veterinarian ASAP.

2. Don’t feed your dog turkey bones either, or give him access to any Thanksgiving scraps

It’s equally tempting to toss your dog a few bones from the turkey. After all, what is more iconic than a dog with a bone?

Naturally (as with most things), Hollywood has lied to us. Foreign body ingestion is yet another common case that Pyne sees reported after Thanksgiving — for example, dogs going to the vet with bones that have splintered and punctured their digestion tract.

Unfortunately, rogue turkey bones can be hard to keep track of when guests with food are everywhere. In the article Thanksgiving Safety Tips for Dog Owners, the Dogster editors recommend the following tips to keep dogs safe: “Don’t leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can’t dispose of everything properly right away.”

Watch your garbage cans, too. “We’ve seen cases where dogs got into the garbage and stole bones,” Pyne says.

3. Reduce stress for your dog (and you!)

Thanksgiving stress is also another danger to your dog. Photography ©Milaspage | Thinkstock.

The holidays are stressful for everyone, your dog included. In fact, the stress can be so bad, some dogs develop colitis — also known as constipation. After Thanksgiving, Pyne often sees cases of constipated dogs.

So, how do you try to keep your dog’s stress levels down during the holidays? One common cause of stress is traveling, so if you don’t have to bring your dog with you, leave him at home.

Another cause of stress is hosting friends or relatives, who might force your dog to interact with them. It’s basically the dog equivalent of your aunt swooping in to smooch your kid’s cheek — nobody likes that.

If your dog isn’t a fan of strangers, check out some of the tips in the Dogster articles 8 Tips to Help You and Your Dog De-Stress During the Holidays and Do You Have a Stranger-Danger Dog? 4 Tips to Teach Him to Deal. One thing author Abbie Mood, Dip. CBST, recommends in the “8 Tips” article is setting up a crate for your dog in a quiet room so he doesn’t have to be part of part of the family activities.

Another thing to watch out for: Your own stress levels, which can affect your dog’s stress levels. “To deal with your guest-related stress, stop and take a few deep breaths, or take a few minutes to just sit by yourself,” Mood recommends in her article. “The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your dog will be. Our dogs are masters of body language and tone, so if you are rushing around the house with a short temper, they are going to wonder what is about to happen.”

4. Keep your dog and other pets secure

It’s not a bad idea to crate your dog throughout the entire Thanksgiving meal. With guests entering and exiting your home, there’s always a chance a dog might bolt out the door and into the street. Pyne sees a lot of cases during Thanksgiving where dogs get hit by cars after they escape from the house.

You should also insist that any pet that comes over be secured as well (or not come over at all). In high-stress situations, it’s easy for tempers to flare, even between dogs or other pets who might normally get along. That can lead to animal bites, which are another common reason dogs end up in the emergency clinic, Pyne reports. For more information on handling a multi-dog Thanksgiving, check out this article from Heather Marcoux.

5. A way to help with Thanksgiving catastrophes? Consider pet insurance

With all the incidents mentioned above, you’re looking at some expensive vet bills.

“Treatments for any of these conditions can easily costs over a thousand dollars, when you factor in holiday and weekend emergency visits to the vet, tests and supportive care,” Pyne says. “Pet insurance is great way to protect your dog if any unexpected accidents or illnesses occur during the holidays.”

Keep your dog safe, and put yourself in a position where you won’t have to refuse treatment due to lack of funds. By keeping an eye out for these common Thanksgiving catastrophes, you and your dog will breeze through this crazy holiday. Not to mention you’ll be prepared for other winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This piece was originally published in 2017.

Thumbnail: Photography ©mdmilliman | Thinkstock.

Tell us: How to ensure a safe Thanksgiving for dogs? What are your tips and tricks? How are you and your dog spending Thanksgiving?

Read more about dogs and holidays on Dogster.com:

8 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Holiday Travel With Your Dog

5 Dog Breeds That Are Good with Holiday Guests

7 Dog Charities to Support This Holiday Season

The post 5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs by Jessica Pineda appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

[stiles-wtf]

5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs

The post 5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs by Jessica Pineda appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Ah, Thanksgiving. Food, family… and frayed nerves from cooking a massive meal or traveling to a relative’s house. With all the chaos of preparing for Thanksgiving, be it getting your house ready to host extended family or packing for a trip, we might not think about what stress a dog could be under when his home is filled with people, or what dangers might come from so much food lying around. So, how do you ensure you have a safe Thanksgiving with dogs in the picture? Here are a few common mishaps — and how to avoid each of them.

1. Don’t let your dog eat turkey (or any Thanksgiving foods, really)

Is Thanksgiving turkey safe for dogs to eat? Photography ©JasonOndreicka | Thinkstock.

It’s tempting to give your dog some Thanksgiving turkey and mashed potatoes, but this is a surefire way to create a Thanksgiving catastrophe. At the very least, it’ll lead to an upset tummy.

“It’s not uncommon during the Thanksgiving holiday that we see pet insurance claims for intoxication, pancreatitis and gastroenteritis,” says Dawn Pyne, marketing manager for Embrace Pet Insurance, which is based in Cleveland, Ohio. “Most people food is heavily seasoned, which can lead to the gastro irritations. And there is food that is downright poisonous to dogs, like xylitol, chocolate and grapes.”

The following is what Pyne sees most often in insurance claims post-Thanksgiving:

Gastroenteritis from eating unfamiliar and seasoned people foods

Acute pancreatitis from eating large amounts of fatty foods, like dark turkey meat, turkey skin, ham or cheeses

Intoxication from xylitol from eating food with this sugar substitute (sugar-free); from chocolate, since dogs are not able to metabolize theobromine and caffeine; and from raisins, currant or grapes, which can be toxic to dogs.

Be safe, rather than sorry: Don’t feed your dog table scraps from the Thanksgiving feast. Keep an eye on your guests, too, who might like to sneak pieces of food to your dog when you’re not looking. For my German Shepherd Dog’s first Thanksgiving with the family, I had to yell at my brother-in-law and niece not to feed my dog ham. “It’s too salty!” was basically my catchphrase for the night.

So, how do you know if your dog might have eaten something he shouldn’t? Look for signs of vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration, Pyne says. If your dog exhibits those symptoms, get your dog to a veterinarian ASAP.

2. Don’t feed your dog turkey bones either, or give him access to any Thanksgiving scraps

It’s equally tempting to toss your dog a few bones from the turkey. After all, what is more iconic than a dog with a bone?

Naturally (as with most things), Hollywood has lied to us. Foreign body ingestion is yet another common case that Pyne sees reported after Thanksgiving — for example, dogs going to the vet with bones that have splintered and punctured their digestion tract.

Unfortunately, rogue turkey bones can be hard to keep track of when guests with food are everywhere. In the article Thanksgiving Safety Tips for Dog Owners, the Dogster editors recommend the following tips to keep dogs safe: “Don’t leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can’t dispose of everything properly right away.”

Watch your garbage cans, too. “We’ve seen cases where dogs got into the garbage and stole bones,” Pyne says.

3. Reduce stress for your dog (and you!)

Thanksgiving stress is also another danger to your dog. Photography ©Milaspage | Thinkstock.

The holidays are stressful for everyone, your dog included. In fact, the stress can be so bad, some dogs develop colitis — also known as constipation. After Thanksgiving, Pyne often sees cases of constipated dogs.

So, how do you try to keep your dog’s stress levels down during the holidays? One common cause of stress is traveling, so if you don’t have to bring your dog with you, leave him at home.

Another cause of stress is hosting friends or relatives, who might force your dog to interact with them. It’s basically the dog equivalent of your aunt swooping in to smooch your kid’s cheek — nobody likes that.

If your dog isn’t a fan of strangers, check out some of the tips in the Dogster articles 8 Tips to Help You and Your Dog De-Stress During the Holidays and Do You Have a Stranger-Danger Dog? 4 Tips to Teach Him to Deal. One thing author Abbie Mood, Dip. CBST, recommends in the “8 Tips” article is setting up a crate for your dog in a quiet room so he doesn’t have to be part of part of the family activities.

Another thing to watch out for: Your own stress levels, which can affect your dog’s stress levels. “To deal with your guest-related stress, stop and take a few deep breaths, or take a few minutes to just sit by yourself,” Mood recommends in her article. “The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your dog will be. Our dogs are masters of body language and tone, so if you are rushing around the house with a short temper, they are going to wonder what is about to happen.”

4. Keep your dog and other pets secure

It’s not a bad idea to crate your dog throughout the entire Thanksgiving meal. With guests entering and exiting your home, there’s always a chance a dog might bolt out the door and into the street. Pyne sees a lot of cases during Thanksgiving where dogs get hit by cars after they escape from the house.

You should also insist that any pet that comes over be secured as well (or not come over at all). In high-stress situations, it’s easy for tempers to flare, even between dogs or other pets who might normally get along. That can lead to animal bites, which are another common reason dogs end up in the emergency clinic, Pyne reports. For more information on handling a multi-dog Thanksgiving, check out this article from Heather Marcoux.

5. A way to help with Thanksgiving catastrophes? Consider pet insurance

With all the incidents mentioned above, you’re looking at some expensive vet bills.

“Treatments for any of these conditions can easily costs over a thousand dollars, when you factor in holiday and weekend emergency visits to the vet, tests and supportive care,” Pyne says. “Pet insurance is great way to protect your dog if any unexpected accidents or illnesses occur during the holidays.”

Keep your dog safe, and put yourself in a position where you won’t have to refuse treatment due to lack of funds. By keeping an eye out for these common Thanksgiving catastrophes, you and your dog will breeze through this crazy holiday. Not to mention you’ll be prepared for other winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This piece was originally published in 2017.

Thumbnail: Photography ©mdmilliman | Thinkstock.

Tell us: How to ensure a safe Thanksgiving for dogs? What are your tips and tricks? How are you and your dog spending Thanksgiving?

Read more about dogs and holidays on Dogster.com:

8 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Holiday Travel With Your Dog

5 Dog Breeds That Are Good with Holiday Guests

7 Dog Charities to Support This Holiday Season

The post 5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs by Jessica Pineda appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

[buynewsoul]

5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs

The post 5 Tips for Having a Safe Thanksgiving With Dogs by Jessica Pineda appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Ah, Thanksgiving. Food, family… and frayed nerves from cooking a massive meal or traveling to a relative’s house. With all the chaos of preparing for Thanksgiving, be it getting your house ready to host extended family or packing for a trip, we might not think about what stress a dog could be under when his home is filled with people, or what dangers might come from so much food lying around. So, how do you ensure you have a safe Thanksgiving with dogs in the picture? Here are a few common mishaps — and how to avoid each of them.

1. Don’t let your dog eat turkey (or any Thanksgiving foods, really)

Is Thanksgiving turkey safe for dogs to eat? Photography ©JasonOndreicka | Thinkstock.

It’s tempting to give your dog some Thanksgiving turkey and mashed potatoes, but this is a surefire way to create a Thanksgiving catastrophe. At the very least, it’ll lead to an upset tummy.

“It’s not uncommon during the Thanksgiving holiday that we see pet insurance claims for intoxication, pancreatitis and gastroenteritis,” says Dawn Pyne, marketing manager for Embrace Pet Insurance, which is based in Cleveland, Ohio. “Most people food is heavily seasoned, which can lead to the gastro irritations. And there is food that is downright poisonous to dogs, like xylitol, chocolate and grapes.”

The following is what Pyne sees most often in insurance claims post-Thanksgiving:

Gastroenteritis from eating unfamiliar and seasoned people foods

Acute pancreatitis from eating large amounts of fatty foods, like dark turkey meat, turkey skin, ham or cheeses

Intoxication from xylitol from eating food with this sugar substitute (sugar-free); from chocolate, since dogs are not able to metabolize theobromine and caffeine; and from raisins, currant or grapes, which can be toxic to dogs.

Be safe, rather than sorry: Don’t feed your dog table scraps from the Thanksgiving feast. Keep an eye on your guests, too, who might like to sneak pieces of food to your dog when you’re not looking. For my German Shepherd Dog’s first Thanksgiving with the family, I had to yell at my brother-in-law and niece not to feed my dog ham. “It’s too salty!” was basically my catchphrase for the night.

So, how do you know if your dog might have eaten something he shouldn’t? Look for signs of vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration, Pyne says. If your dog exhibits those symptoms, get your dog to a veterinarian ASAP.

2. Don’t feed your dog turkey bones either, or give him access to any Thanksgiving scraps

It’s equally tempting to toss your dog a few bones from the turkey. After all, what is more iconic than a dog with a bone?

Naturally (as with most things), Hollywood has lied to us. Foreign body ingestion is yet another common case that Pyne sees reported after Thanksgiving — for example, dogs going to the vet with bones that have splintered and punctured their digestion tract.

Unfortunately, rogue turkey bones can be hard to keep track of when guests with food are everywhere. In the article Thanksgiving Safety Tips for Dog Owners, the Dogster editors recommend the following tips to keep dogs safe: “Don’t leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can’t dispose of everything properly right away.”

Watch your garbage cans, too. “We’ve seen cases where dogs got into the garbage and stole bones,” Pyne says.

3. Reduce stress for your dog (and you!)

Thanksgiving stress is also another danger to your dog. Photography ©Milaspage | Thinkstock.

The holidays are stressful for everyone, your dog included. In fact, the stress can be so bad, some dogs develop colitis — also known as constipation. After Thanksgiving, Pyne often sees cases of constipated dogs.

So, how do you try to keep your dog’s stress levels down during the holidays? One common cause of stress is traveling, so if you don’t have to bring your dog with you, leave him at home.

Another cause of stress is hosting friends or relatives, who might force your dog to interact with them. It’s basically the dog equivalent of your aunt swooping in to smooch your kid’s cheek — nobody likes that.

If your dog isn’t a fan of strangers, check out some of the tips in the Dogster articles 8 Tips to Help You and Your Dog De-Stress During the Holidays and Do You Have a Stranger-Danger Dog? 4 Tips to Teach Him to Deal. One thing author Abbie Mood, Dip. CBST, recommends in the “8 Tips” article is setting up a crate for your dog in a quiet room so he doesn’t have to be part of part of the family activities.

Another thing to watch out for: Your own stress levels, which can affect your dog’s stress levels. “To deal with your guest-related stress, stop and take a few deep breaths, or take a few minutes to just sit by yourself,” Mood recommends in her article. “The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your dog will be. Our dogs are masters of body language and tone, so if you are rushing around the house with a short temper, they are going to wonder what is about to happen.”

4. Keep your dog and other pets secure

It’s not a bad idea to crate your dog throughout the entire Thanksgiving meal. With guests entering and exiting your home, there’s always a chance a dog might bolt out the door and into the street. Pyne sees a lot of cases during Thanksgiving where dogs get hit by cars after they escape from the house.

You should also insist that any pet that comes over be secured as well (or not come over at all). In high-stress situations, it’s easy for tempers to flare, even between dogs or other pets who might normally get along. That can lead to animal bites, which are another common reason dogs end up in the emergency clinic, Pyne reports. For more information on handling a multi-dog Thanksgiving, check out this article from Heather Marcoux.

5. A way to help with Thanksgiving catastrophes? Consider pet insurance

With all the incidents mentioned above, you’re looking at some expensive vet bills.

“Treatments for any of these conditions can easily costs over a thousand dollars, when you factor in holiday and weekend emergency visits to the vet, tests and supportive care,” Pyne says. “Pet insurance is great way to protect your dog if any unexpected accidents or illnesses occur during the holidays.”

Keep your dog safe, and put yourself in a position where you won’t have to refuse treatment due to lack of funds. By keeping an eye out for these common Thanksgiving catastrophes, you and your dog will breeze through this crazy holiday. Not to mention you’ll be prepared for other winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This piece was originally published in 2017.

Thumbnail: Photography ©mdmilliman | Thinkstock.

Tell us: How to ensure a safe Thanksgiving for dogs? What are your tips and tricks? How are you and your dog spending Thanksgiving?

Read more about dogs and holidays on Dogster.com:

8 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Holiday Travel With Your Dog

5 Dog Breeds That Are Good with Holiday Guests

7 Dog Charities to Support This Holiday Season

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