How the Right Credit Card Can Help You Save Big on Dog Care

There are two things that we can say for sure: 1) dogs are clearly way cooler than cats; and 2) being a dog lover can take a toll on your wallet. After all, even if you adopt a rescue from an organization like the American Kennel Club – which has a base of operations in nearby Raleigh – you’ll still have to shell out big bucks for food, toys, training, and more.

Most of us don’t get government funding like the guys on the new NatGeo Wild Show “Alpha Dogs” – even those of us who live at Fort Bragg because of military affiliations. So, we need to find other ways to save.

Interestingly, one of the best savings vehicles might already be in your wallet.

There is unprecedented value to be had on the credit card market these days, as issuers are pretty much throwing money at consumers who have above-average credit standing in the hopes of garnering their business. The right card can indeed save you hundreds of dollars via either attractive rewards or an extended zero percent introductory term. The trick is finding the right one, and that largely depends on two things: 1) Not allowing yourself to be influenced by branding and 2) Whether or not you currently have a credit card balance. 

There may be some cards out there with pet-oriented branding, but that won’t do you much good if they don’t also offer great value. For example, the Animal Friends Credit Card and the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Credit Card are two charity rewards cards that might initially appear to be just what you’re looking for, but upon further inspection have below-average terms. It’s therefore preferable to seek out top-of-the-line cash rewards which you can attribute to your interests as you see fit. (Note: Unlike many other major retailers, pet supply stores like PetSmart and PetCo., don’t offer their own credit cards.)

With that said, the second deciding factor mentioned above is simple to explain. Those who don’t have existing credit card debt should gravitate toward rewards while those who do would be better served getting a 0% interest rate in order to save on finance charges.

Best Rewards Credit Cards for Dog Lovers

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (Best Initial Bonus): Chase gives new customers who charge at least $3,000 to this card during the first three months a $400 initial rewards bonus. Whether you use this free cash to support your favorite animal charity or subsidize the expenses you incur as a dog owner, it’s sure to go a long way.

Best 0% Credit Cards for Dog Lovers

• Slate Card from Chase (Best for Balance Transfers): This is what’s known as a free balance transfer offer, as it gives you 0% on transferred debt for the first 15 months and doesn’t charge either an annual fee or a transfer fee. As a result of these terms, it could save the average household – which currently has roughly $6,700 in credit card debt – more than $1,000 in fees and finance charges while expediting debt freedom (you can use a credit card calculator to determine how you stand to save).

Final Thoughts

It’s important to reiterate that the aforementioned credit card offers require upper-echelon credit standing for approval, which means more than half of all consumers stand to qualify. If you aren’t one of them, don’t worry too much; the value of initial rewards bonuses and 0% intro rates doesn’t seem to be declining. You therefore have time to concentrate on improving your credit standing so that you can make being a dog lover as inexpensive as possible.That’s certainly something to wag your tail about!

John Kiernan is the senior analyst for CardHub.com, a website that helps consumers find the best credit cards for their needs. He also has three awesome dogs at home: a Black Lab named Missy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Mix named Scooter, and a Yellow Lab Mix named Georgia.