My article in the Withernsea & District Community News
Poppy’s Pets
distributed to 9000 homes in East Yorkshire
We all have unexpected bills for our pets’ needs. It might be insurance excess, specialised food, pet food subscriptions, health care plans or general purchases.
What easy steps can you take to raise money so funds are available if needed?
The 1p Challenge
It’s a yearly challenge that ideally starts in January. You increase the daily amount by 1p each day. For example, on January 1st, you save 1p, January 2nd, 2p, January 3rd, 3p and so forth. In 12 months, you will have accrued £667.95. Alternatively, you can opt to put aside £55.66 each month.
June 2023:
Because of the cost of food and energy, this may not be easy for some people to continue over 12 months. Whether two months, or three months, it is money saved for emergencies.
| Month | Monthly amount saved |
| January | £4.96 |
| February | £12.74 |
| March | £23.25 |
| April | £31.65 |
| May | £42.16 |
| June | £49.95 |
| July | £61.07 |
| August | £70.68 |
| September | £77.55 |
| October | £89.59 |
| November | £95.85 |
| December | £108.50 |
Read more at Money Saving Expert
I saved £665 2021 and in 2023 had a vet bill of £373 – the money accumulated from the 1p Challenge covered it. However, through the second part of 2022 I was unable to continue because of a change to my personal circumstances.
NS&I for tax-free savings
As for me, I like Premium Bonds. I buy bond numbers each month and find I receive a good return for myself and the pet pot. Your purchased numbers are entered into a monthly draw giving you the opportunity of winning tax-free prizes starting from £25 to £1,000,000. I love using the Prize Checker app each month to see if I have won!
Read more at NS&I
The Pet Health Club
Yes, there is a monthly fee after registering your cat (£15.60), dog (£17.60) or rabbit (£12.99). I agree, on top of pet insurance, or without, it is an expenditure. I calculated the cost of a decent flea, worming and tick treatment, vaccination charges and 6-months health checkup and found PHC is more cost-effective than without. The scheme offers a range of discounts and includes free urine tests, nail clipping, a microchip or voucher.
An independent veterinary practice may have there own health plan.
Read more information at The Pet Health Club
Cashback sites
I have made £311 in cashback for pet bills from everyday shopping and buying insurance. It’s simple. Download the Quidco app or use the desktop version. Search from nearly 4000 big brand stores or insurance companies, and access their website through Quidco. Your visit and purchase are tracked, and eventually, you will receive a notification announcing your cashback is confirmed. Cashback lead time varies, but you can monitor everything in your account. Refer your friends with your referral link, and you both earn a bonus.
Register for free using my referral link.
The above four ideas are ways I generate cash to pay bills and I hope they prove useful for you too.
Article published in the Withernsea & District Community News – April 2022
Disclaimer:
This article is not advising any form of financial advice.