If you are like most people, your dog is not simply a pet. He or she is a member of your family.

You want to provide them the best of everything.  From toys to treats, you love to spoil them rotten

But the costs. Oh, how they can quickly get out of control!

WHY CHEAP IS NOT BETTER

Your first thought may be to buy the cheap dog food.

Please, don’t.

The problem is that the lower quality food can lead to health problems for your pet, which could end up costing you more. It is not the answer.

Instead, focus on ways you can save while still getting your favorite canine the food and treats that are best for them.

STOCK UP WHEN ON SALE

When you find a great deal on the dog food you need, buy extra! There is no reason to pick up one bag when you can get a couple and save.

BUY IN BULK

Oftentimes, the larger bags result in greater savings. Compare the price per ounce of the smaller items to the bigger bags to find the lowest cost.

TRY THE STORE BRAND

Just as with the store brands you buy, sometimes the store brand of pet foods is the same – simply in different packaging.

Carefully review the ingredients before making the switch. After all, if they are the same, why are you paying for the label?

SIGN UP FOR THE STORE REWARDS PROGRAM

Loyalty has its perks. Many stores offer loyalty programs to members. You can get exclusive offers, discounts and coupons that are only offered to those who have signed up.

Some programs also reward for your purchase in the form of points. Once you accumulate the points you can cash them in towards savings or freebies.

GET ON THE LIST

Even if you are a member of their program, make sure you are also on the list!  You will get alerts for sales and may even find some awesome coupons to make their way into your inbox as well.

Tip:  Make a secondary email address to use so your inbox is not cluttered with these types of emails.

USE ONLINE SERVICES

There are online pet product providers, such as Chewy, who sell pet food and other items, often at a discount. The added perk here is that they deliver it directly to you – so no lugging home huge bags of dog food from the store.

You can use apps such as Honey or Wikibuy to compare online prices to ensure you also find the lowest possible price for the items you need.

SET UP AUTOMATED DELIVERIES

Some sites, such as Amazon, offer discounts if you sign up for automated delivery of select products. Not only will it be delivered, but you also won’t have to worry about running out.

CHECK FOR REBATE OFFERS

Sometimes, manufacturers offer product rebates. If you can find these, you’ll get money back on your purchase.

PRAISE (OR COMPLAIN)

If you have a food your pet loves, send an email letting them know. They may send you coupons or vouchers for products as a thank you.

Alternatively, if you have a problem with a product, make sure to reach out. The company may offer a refund or alternative product for your trouble.

SHOP THE WAREHOUSE

Skip the big box stores and head to your local warehouse. You may find larger bags at a lower cost sold there – saving you time and money.

BECOME A TRACKER

All stores run sales in cycles. They do this on food, clothes, and more – including pet food!  Keep track of the offers at your favorite stores.

You will start to learn their cycle and can then stock up when items are on sale.

SKIP THE STORE AND MAKE HOMEMADE DOG FOOD

You can even bypass the store and make your own dog food right at home. There are countless recipes on Pinterest that you can try.

But, before you rush to start a cooking frenzy, make sure to carefully research each ingredient to make sure it is safe for your pet to consume.

PUT COUPONS TO WORK

Before you head to the store, head online, and search for coupons for your pet’s food. You may find them on the manufacturer’s website or on coupon printing sites.

Make sure to also check the product packaging as you may find them stuck to the front of that big bag of dog food.

GET FREE SAMPLES FROM YOUR VET

Vets get free samples of the products they sell – so ask for one! The freebies do not cost them anything, so they should be more than happy to give you one if you inquire.

The post YOUR GUIDE FOR SAVING MONEY ON PET FOOD appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

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Millions of people are on edge about their expired unemployment benefits and whether a second round of stimulus checks is coming.

But there’s another issue that keeps resurfacing as lawmakers wrangle over the next stimulus bill: payroll taxes.

The Republican-proposed HEALS Act didn’t include a payroll tax cut. Democrats are widely opposed to the idea. But President Trump continues to push for one and has said he could suspend payroll taxes without waiting on Congress.

So what exactly are payroll taxes, and who would benefit from reducing them or temporarily eliminating them altogether?

8 FAQs: What Are Payroll Taxes and How Would Cutting Them Work?

1. What are payroll taxes?

Payroll taxes are the taxes that are deducted from your paycheck for Social Security and Medicare. Sometimes they’re referred to as Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) taxes.

For most employees, payroll taxes amount to 7.65% of earnings. You pay 6.2% of the first $137,700 of your salary for Social Security and nothing on earnings above that amount.

The remaining 1.45% goes toward Medicare. You’ll pay the full 1.45% no matter how much you earn. Unlike Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes don’t have a salary cap. Single filers earning above $200,000 and married couples filing joint returns earning over $250,000 pay an additional 0.9% Medicare tax.

Your employer matches the 6.2% you pay on your Social Security wages and the 1.45% you contribute to Medicare. However, they aren’t required to pay the additional 0.9% Medicare tax if your income exceeds the above thresholds.

The money that’s withheld is credited to your future retirement benefits.

2. How much do self-employed people pay?

Self-employed people are on the hook for both the employee and employer contributions, so they typically pay 15.3%, rather than 7.65%, into Social Security and Medicare.

3. Are 401(k) contributions subject to payroll taxes?

Yes. While you don’t pay income taxes on contributions to a traditional 401(k), Social Security and Medicare taxes are deducted upfront.

4. How much would a payroll tax cut save me?

The answer depends on how much you earn and how much the tax is reduced by. As of July 23, Republicans hadn’t yet released their proposal, so we don’t know whether we’re talking about a reduction or temporarily eliminating it.

Suppose the payroll tax was completely eliminated for a year and you earn $40,000. You’d save $3,060 a year, which would put an extra $59 or so in your pocket each week.

5. How would a payroll tax cut help me if I’m unemployed?

It wouldn’t, at least not directly. A payroll tax cut goes to people earning a paycheck and probably the businesses that employ them, as well.

Of course, supporters argue that people will spend the extra money and create jobs. Those in favor also say that businesses will be able to keep more workers on the payroll and even hire more workers if they’re spending less on taxes.

6. Are payroll taxes taken out of unemployment benefits?

No. While unemployment is taxed as ordinary income, you won’t pay payroll taxes on it.

7. Have payroll taxes ever been cut before?

Yes. The Obama administration temporarily cut employee payroll taxes (but not employer payroll taxes) by 2 percentage points in 2011 in the aftermath of the financial crisis. The tax cut only reduced Social Security taxes. Medicare taxes weren’t affected.

8. Would a payroll tax cut put my future Social Security and Medicare at risk?

Probably not. For the 2011 payroll tax cut, Congress used general revenues to make up the shortfall in the Social Security trust.

FROM THE TAXES FORUM

Help! I need to amend my taxes!
4/22/20 @ 1:25 PM

How long do you keep paper records?
3/1/20 @ 4:42 AM

Should I file Taxes
4/10/20 @ 2:55 PM

See more in Taxes or ask a money question

Can Trump Really Pass a Payroll Tax Cut on His Own?

The president has the authority to delay the due date for taxes during a declared disaster, but he can’t change the tax law.

So while Trump could order the IRS to suspend payroll tax collection by delaying the due date, he’d still need Congress to actually forgive the taxes. Otherwise, the tax bill will eventually come due.

Unless the cut is passed into law, tax experts say employers would likely err on the safe side and continue to withhold payroll taxes from employee paychecks.

Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior editor at The Penny Hoarder. She writes the Dear Penny personal finance advice column. Send your tricky money questions to [email protected].

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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