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The real cost of having pets

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  • Wellyboots6
    Wellyboots6 Posts: 2,735 Forumite
    I am with Direct Line for my sins...

    I called them last week and she said there was a 4 week wait for claims to be processed at the moment, but I should get the cheque this week.

    Going to call them again in a bit to double check, as they still haven't actually confirmed that they are going to pay!

    They are not the best in my opinion, and because you have to pay out first and then claim it back I would stand no chance with a hugely expensive op :(

    Seriously wondering whether it is worth seeing if I can switch to petplan, and explain about his condition with his legs and see if they will insure him for everything else other than that. It may be better in the long run even if I do end up having to over all treatment for his legs myself. Grrr!
  • gettingready
    gettingready Posts: 11,330 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    katy721 wrote: »
    They are not the best in my opinion, and because you have to pay out first and then claim it back I would stand no chance with a hugely expensive op :(

    That is actually up to the vet if they accept direct claims or not, not on the insurance company.

    With my vets, if the bill is under £250 you have to pay it yourself and claim back from your insurance but if the bill is ver £250 it is ok to pay just the excess and the vets claim the rest from insurance directly...
  • With my vets, if the bill is under £250 you have to pay it yourself and claim back from your insurance but if the bill is ver £250 it is ok to pay just the excess and the vets claim the rest from insurance directly...

    My vets are the same .... I can understand in a way as (most of them around here) are small businesses and I know they say some of the insurance companies take even longer to pay them and they just can't afford to wait for them all to come though (and then there's the issue if they don't pay out at all!)
    Grocery Challenge £211/£455 (01/01-31/03)
    2016 Sell: £125/£250
    £1,000 Emergency Fund Challenge #78 £3.96 / £1,000
    Vet Fund: £410.93 / £1,000
    Debt free & determined to stay that way!
  • gettingready
    gettingready Posts: 11,330 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Just when I was happy to save on dog walker... insurace for my 3 boys went up and my total insurance is up from around 72 for dog and 4 cats to ... 130 per month with still one cat and Zara due for reneval later on in the year....


    Sigh.....
  • Wellyboots6
    Wellyboots6 Posts: 2,735 Forumite
    ouch!

    I STILL haven't heard from my insurance company. They must be sick of me ringing them by now!
  • gettingready
    gettingready Posts: 11,330 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Revision again:

    Zara:

    Food - Skinners, 15kg bag lasts 42 days and (costs £24.00 t VetUK with delivery) so monthly works out at around £18 per month
    Insurance - £48
    Dog walker - £ 130 per month
    Ester C (3 for 2 at Boots at £19 lasts 2 months) £10.00 per month
    Salmon Oil, bottle (£23) lasts 2 months so £12.50 per month
    Flea treatment £11.40 (4 months supply Advantage from AnimeDirect) so £3
    Worming - Drontal, £4.10 from AnimedDirect, every 3 months so £1.40 per month

    Together Zara (no treats/new collar etc, just the basic upkeep) £223.00 per month

    Cats:

    Litter, Oko PLus, 40 liters from Zooplus around £24, lasts 2 months (I think) so £12.00 per month
    Insurance for the 4 of them - £75.83 :eek::eek::eek:
    Cats dry food - no idea as got enough for the next 10 years at home
    Cats wet food – 10x6 tins of Classic from Asda £26.00
    Cats worming drontal - around 1.5 per tablet, 4 tablets £6 every 3 months so £1.50 per month
    Cats flea treatment - Advantage, £9.50 per month

    Cats total (no dry food/toys etc) [STRIKE]£91.00[/STRIKE] per month £124.83

    Together - £347.83 [STRIKE]£314[/STRIKE] per month on my lot.....down from nearly £500…originally but up again due to insurance for the cats jumping up.....

    Still - dreading the insurance hike for Zara and Macius in October/November....
  • mmmm how come your costs are going down & mine up!

    Dog
    General (everything apart from below) = £40
    Insurance = £25
    Dog walker = £45 * / £22.50
    Total = £110 / £87.50

    Still trying to find the best food for her - probably will stick with Skinners

    * Dog walker 2 x week (@ £5) but net costs are less as costs me £2.50 to come home so I guess I should really 1/2 this cost? (2nd figures above & below)

    Cats
    General (everything except insurance) = £50
    Insurance = £19
    Total = £69

    Overall £179 / £156.50:eek:

    However, hoping the cat fund can come down by £10 / month as dry food bulk buying seems to be making big savings:

    • 10kg bag started on 23 Feb & still have 3.5kg left so 23 weeks / bag = £7.50 / month plus 4 kg bag (different type!) lasts 4 months = just under £1 / month = £8.50 / month for the 2 of them:)
    Wet = wee cat now hardly eats at all :( & still have loads left from huge stock up before Christmas :o & big cat stocked up around March time & still have loads left ...... maybe £5 / month max

    Might have to try Oko .....
    Grocery Challenge £211/£455 (01/01-31/03)
    2016 Sell: £125/£250
    £1,000 Emergency Fund Challenge #78 £3.96 / £1,000
    Vet Fund: £410.93 / £1,000
    Debt free & determined to stay that way!
  • rising_from_the_ashes
    rising_from_the_ashes Posts: 12,433 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Home Insurance Hacker! Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 4 June 2012 at 8:28PM
    [STRIKE]A wee gripe[/STRIKE](take it back - see below) ..... just trying to figure out how the Skinners Turkey is soooo much more than either the Duck or Salmon.

    Would love to try the Turkey but it's over £7 / bag more than Duck & £4 more than Salmon (and it is one of the VAT free ones) so you're really losing the VAT benefit as you can buy from their "normal" range for this price.
    Grocery Challenge £211/£455 (01/01-31/03)
    2016 Sell: £125/£250
    £1,000 Emergency Fund Challenge #78 £3.96 / £1,000
    Vet Fund: £410.93 / £1,000
    Debt free & determined to stay that way!
  • Ahhhhh just noticed it's got a "Joint Aid supplement (2% comprising of glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, MSM, glutamine, curcumin, oils & fats, beta glucans, oligosaccharides)" http://www.skinnerspetfoods.co.uk/products/field---trial-products/turkey---rice/ which the others don't.

    Anyone think this may be worth the extra money - have been thinking of starting Maisie with joint supplements (no issues but know it's better to start before there are any!)?

    GR sorry ... hijacking!
    Grocery Challenge £211/£455 (01/01-31/03)
    2016 Sell: £125/£250
    £1,000 Emergency Fund Challenge #78 £3.96 / £1,000
    Vet Fund: £410.93 / £1,000
    Debt free & determined to stay that way!
  • eveie189
    eveie189 Posts: 301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Ahhhhh just noticed it's got a "Joint Aid supplement (2% comprising of glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, MSM, glutamine, curcumin, oils & fats, beta glucans, oligosaccharides)" http://www.skinnerspetfoods.co.uk/products/field---trial-products/turkey---rice/ which the others don't.

    Anyone think this may be worth the extra money - have been thinking of starting Maisie with joint supplements (no issues but know it's better to start before there are any!)?

    GR sorry ... hijacking!

    I don't know about the rest of the range but the salmon has also got glucosamine and chondroitin in as well as omega 3 and 6 (can't remember what else) so that's what I will be trying with our bulldog puppy buddy first as like you say, it's cheaper than the turkey and rice.
    April GC 9th-7th may £0/£320
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