1. If you have an indoor cat that never goes outside to "do his business," then you are probably buying kitty litter. Well, you'll never have to buy kitty litter again and can save yourself over $100 a year buy using shredded paper. Invest in a paper shredder and a paper cutter, collect old newspapers or any kind of paper, and shred it up! If you have one cat, you'll probably have to change the paper in the box once a day. If you can't afford a paper shredder and paper cutter (the paper cutter is used to cut the newspaper into "digestable" sizes for the shredder), check with a law office or any type of large office complex which shreds lots of paper on a daily basis. Shredding old newspapers is a good way to recycle and besides, who really needs "scented kitty litter? Does your cat "waste" really need to smell like roses?

• If you live near a university, an SPCA office, or Human Society you can inquire with them and explain your situation, they might be able to help you and your beloved pet.

• Buy your meds online where you can get 50 to 75 percent discounts. Check on ebay.com, 1800petmeds.com, petrx.com, petsmart.com or discountpetmedicines.com

• Check out a good book from the library on dog care or cat care such as:

- The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Dog Care Dogs:

- The Ultimate Care Guide: Good Health, Loving Care, Maximum Longevity Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook:

- ASPCA Complete Dog Care Manual.

For Cats - check out:

- The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care:

- Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook (Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook):

- ASPCA Complete Cat Care Manual: The Ultimate Illustrated Guide to Caring for Your Cat.

5. GET YOUR PET NEUTERED. Spend a little now to get your pet spayed or neutered and you will save yourself a lot more in the future. Pets that are spayed or neutered have less medical and behavioral problems.

6. If your pet is destructive in the house, this is because he or she is bored, lonely and wants a little attention. Take your pet for a long walk and play with it, the exercise will do you both some good.

7. When it comes to food, you can get into a lot of financial trouble if you try to cater to their picky tastes. Learn how to make your own dog food by mixing left overs with rice cooked in milk, or search for other pet food recipes on the internet. Throw in a few cooked carrots as they are always good for dogs. Remember that nutrion is the key and most dry dog food is nutriously balanced. Unfortunately, picky dogs don't always find it the most tasteful. Turn that dry food into gourmet by pouring some hamburger grease on it the next time you cook hamburger. Although you want to make sure you dog never goes hungry, an overweight dog can is liable to have more health problems, which can increase your vet bill. You can learn more about how to make dog food or how to make cat food by searching on the internet.

8. Compare prices on generic pet food compared to name brand. You'll find that the generic has almost the same ingredients and nutrional values but costs less.

9. If you have a cat that sheds a lot of fur, make sure you comb it often with a simple human comb. You don't need to buy a special cat comb to do the job. Comb them once a week and you will have less cat hair on the furniture (which ruins it's appearance) and this will also prevent your cat from getting fur balls (when they lick themselves clean, they swallow hair which forms a ball in their "wind pipe" and causes them to cough and choke, resulting in a trip to the vet.

10. If you need to get your cat or dog spayed or neutered but can't afford it, there are usually non-profit animal protection groups that can help you cover the costs. Google non-profit animal shelters in your area and inquire them about receiving help.