Spill the beans... on how to care for Fido or Tiddles for less

I don't spend a fortune on petshop toys that will only last a few days with my dogs (they love tearing things up - only dogs toys though, they'll leave sofa cushions, shoes, etc. well alone!), I pop to my local poundshop and buy their rope toys. They do a variety - the usual tuggies, but also ball shapes, bars, rings, etc. and they've stood up to my two's jaws for absolutely ages! Also easy to chuck in the washing machine to freshen up after a couple of weeks of being slobbered on!

..and small dogs too, remember that too much meat, or meat only diet, actually isn't that good for them - dogs have tough digestions, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't check out what's good. Pasta, if you're boiling up some from dried for family use, keep some back for dogs - great mixer, good carbs, also left over bread (white or brown) as well as veg (within reason) and general scraps mixed in with meat and water to make a tasty gravy. Large lab in our house, one tin of food lasts three feeds when mixed with mixer and other stuff as above - and he's a healthy, happy and relatively cost efficient boy.

My cat is very fussy (but at 14 years old I'll forgive her her funny little ways lol). Recently she's started turning her nose up at wet cat food which has been in the bowl for 5 mins or so, so I tried adding some rice to it and she eats it up.
When the family are eating rice I always cook a little extra to pop in the fridge or freezer for the cat and have it available for her fussy moments.

Just wanted to add - I don't know anything about dogs but raw feeding cats is not something to be entered into lightly - it might save you money but it will take up a bit of time researching as (among other issues) there is one nutrient in particular (taurine) which cats cannot synthesise themselves (like dogs and humans can), so it is added to all commercial cat foods and so must be added if you start feeding raw. Another issue is that they need a source of calcium too and if they don't crunch bones you need to add this somehow. Even the most staunch advocate of raw feeding cats that I have encountered still says it is better to feed the cheapest complete wet cat food than to feed them raw or cooked unadulterated meat without doing your research first.

Another thing is you can't just bulk up your cats' diet with say veg or grains as easily as you can dogs' (as per the first post of the thread), as cats are obligate carnivores and can't really digest non-meats - a bit every now and then may not hurt but it will affect their health if done frequently and long term. Veg / grain may make them feel full but it just comes straight out the other end, they don't get much in the way of nutrients from it. I know most supermarket cat foods do contain cereals etc, but what I mean is if you are changing their diet (whatever it is) and reducing the amount of meat they are getting long term, it is not good for them. Just be careful with cats!