Wednesday 29 February 2012

Essential Expenditure and Pet Insurance

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love her floppy ear - it only perks up when treats or walks are mentioned
Andrew, as the Financial Controller of our household, has been reviewing our outgoings and interrogating me asking about the importance of some of our regular expenses. If I don’t start using the gym, for example, that particular membership is history. (Apparently, popping there to have my eyebrows done and buy Costa coffee doesn’t count.) We have had these conversations before when Andrew has conducted one of his little household expense reviews and our pet insurance has previously come under the spotlight. I heard him joking on the phone the other day that when he first met me the dog was insured for more than him! (No comment. Ha!) 

snuggling on the sofa with us (needing a haircut)
I bought Lizzie as a puppy, a while before I met Andrew.  She is my first dog and although I was excited to bring her home I was also very aware of the commitment and responsibility of having a pet.  I desperately wanted to do my best to look after her.  Our family has kept dogs for as long as I can remember and it was my Mum who advised that I set up an insurance policy.  I arranged for it immediately - the monthly premium was a relatively small amount of money and I figured it was the grown-up and responsible thing to do.  

After her first season (yuck) Lizzie became very ill. She was only about six months old and had been completely healthy up until then.  I was scared.  I whisked her to the vet where she had an emergency operation to remove her reproductive organs - she had developed a serious infection and, I am told, could have died.  It was a horrible time for me and would have been made even worse if I had been forced to find the £800 for the vet bill.  I told Andrew this story the first time he queried whether we really needed pet insurance - Lizzie seems quite healthy after all, he said.  I haven't needed to explain it again - he gets it and the insurance remains firmly on our essentials list.  I cannot recommend it enough.

keeping me company in our home office
I am not sure I can come up with quite such a compelling reason as to why I need to keep my £45 gym membership, however. I’m going to have to dust off my trainers. My thighs will thank me, I’m sure! 

Nicki

x

10 comments:

  1. Awww, we have both got doggie posts up at the moment - Lizzie and Rolo will have to meet up one day!

    Hope you are managing to get the photography course past the financial controller?! xxx

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  2. I wish we'd got pet insurance for our house bunny, Cally. She's had awful teeth problems - resulting in them being taken out. Ouch for her - and ouch for us!

    Very good advice, Nicki!

    Frankie x

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  3. Hi Nicki
    Tell your husband that pet insurance is essential and definately the grown up thing to have! You never know what to expect with pets, at 12wks Daisy under went major heart surgery at a cost of £3000 thats a major dent in anyones expenditure account!
    By the way Lizzie looks just like Daisy (She's laid out on my new cushions on the sofa too!)
    Hugs
    Pene

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  4. Hi Nicki - I completely agree with the essential nature of pet insurance. Wouldn't it be awful if one couldn't afford to pay for our furry ones treatment. Thats what I try to keep in mind when the money comes out.
    I've been there a number of times on gym membership. In the end I finally got rid of about my fifth attempt and bought a Concept 11 rowing machine to use at home... pity I rarely get on it but it looks SO nice!!!

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  5. It is definitely money well spent - we've used ours for both the dogs we've had several times. As to the gym membership, I can't comment! X

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  6. Definitely agree it's money well spent - operations and vet bills for dogs can be extortionate! Love the blog!!XX

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  7. He is soo sweet ,and he clearly likes his picture being taken xx

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  8. So cute!
    It is money well spent... I've done the same thing with the gym in the past. I would just meet up with friends there. :-)
    Have a lovely weekend.

    Lou xxx

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  9. Pet insurance is vital! As is human health insurance.. my god I don't know what I would have done without it the last 2 years!

    I'm struggling with the gym one. In one year I have gone 6 times. I'm trying to figure out if I will pay for another year or re-introduce Starbucks into my life. (I gave up Starbucks when I realized my luke-warm latte and muffin habbit were costing me almost £35 a week!)

    Then there is the smoking... which is essential to most Croatians but I dread to think what my pack a day, 12 year habbit has cost me.

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  10. Love your dog, and great photography !!!

    sharon xx

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