Spending More to Save More

I visited the vet’s office this week to pick up the flea & heart worm medication my dog takes on a monthly basis. As always, I was given the option of getting a 6 or 12-month supply.

This particular  brand, which comes in the form of a pill, is both effective and expensive. It’s the only thing that can keep fleas off my dog, and I’ve tested many, many products over the years. I’ve learned to suck it up and pay the cost.

At the vet’s office, I could get the 6-month supply for $110 and receive a $10 mail-in rebate, for a total of $100 over 6 months, or about $16.67 per month.

My other option was a 12-month supply for $220 (double the price), but I would get $12 off instantly, and the mail-in rebate jumped to $50. Suddenly, the cost is $13.17 per month–not a huge difference, but it starts to add up. If my dog lives 15 years, that’s a $630 savings! There’s also a convenience factor–since this particular pill is only available at the vet, I cut my need to drive to the vet’s office to just once a year. Conveniently, that’s the same as my dog’s annual check-up timeframe.

Here are a few points to remember when you face the same decision:

• Companies are willing to cut you a break for buying in bulk, because they get more of your money up front. If it’s a product you need for the long run, seriously consider it.
• Consider the ancillary costs of “spending less” — in this case, buying a 6-month supply would also cost me another hour of time and $10 in gas every year to drive to the vet twice as much.
• Figure out if you have enough storage space, and home systems that are robust enough, to avoid wasting the extra supplies you just invested in. I’ve seen too many things go to waste or get lost over the years to buy certain items in bulk.

Focusing on the little things is normally a sure path to getting distracted from the big things that will make a difference (e.g. clipping coupons vs. negotiating your salary). But when faced with the choice anyway, make the choice that will help you and make the little things add up!

Photo by Alan Cleaver