Does Using Chewy Save You Money on Pet Supplies?

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KEY POINTS

  • With Chewy, you can have pet supplies delivered to your door.
  • Although Chewy's prices are competitive, there may be a better deal elsewhere.

The quick answer? It could.

Adopting a pet is a huge financial undertaking. Not only do you have to account for the cost of ongoing food and medication, but when you first bring a pet into your home, you might need to make a serious dent in your savings account to load up on things like a carrier and other needed supplies. Throw in the cost of pet insurance, which is a smart thing to have, and you really need to budget carefully when you're bringing a pet into the mix.

That said, there are steps you can take to save money in the course of having a pet. And one such step is finding the best source for things like food and medications. (Remember, even if you adopt a healthy pet with no issues, you might need to pay for certain preventive treatments, such as tick and heartworm medication for dogs.)

That's where Chewy comes in. Chewy is a service that allows you to set up recurring pet supply deliveries. It's a super convenient way to make sure you're fully stocked on the items you need without having to leave the house.

But does Chewy have the best prices around? Maybe. In some cases, you might save serious money by ordering supplies through Chewy. But before you assume that it's your best source for pet items, it's important to shop around.

The perks of using Chewy

There are a number of cost-saving benefits you might enjoy by signing up with Chewy. First, you'll get free shipping on your purchases as long as you spend $49. For a month's supply of pet food and medication, that threshold is easy to meet.

Furthermore, Chewy will commonly give you a large discount on the first automatic shipment of pet supplies you set up. Right now, you can save 35% on your first shipment. For recurring shipments, you can save 5%.

Does Chewy have the lowest prices?

It depends. In some cases, Chewy will have the most competitive price you'll find. And often, it's cheaper to buy supplies on Chewy than at a local pet store. But you may find that other retailers have a better deal for recurring shipments and supplies.

Amazon, for example, offers a wide range of pet products at low prices. And if you sign up for recurring deliveries via its Subscribe & Save program, you can shave some extra money off the cost of your goods.

Meanwhile, if you're a Costco member, it pays to see if the warehouse club stocks your go-to brands. If so, you may find it at a cheaper price point than on Chewy. It's also worth noting that Costco has its own brand of dog food, so if your pet happens to be a fan, you might reap savings by purchasing it regularly.

Do your research

You might save a nice amount of money by using Chewy for your pet care needs. But ultimately, your best bet is to compare prices across different retailers before making the decision to use Chewy.

That said, because Chewy offers such a substantial discount on your first automatic shipment, it could pay to sign up for one and then cancel your recurring shipments afterward. Like Amazon's Subscribe & Save program, Chewy allows you to cancel at any time, so you may want to reap those initial savings before moving on to a lower-cost alternative.

Our Research Expert

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