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Pets cost a lot more than just the price tag imposed
by the breeder, shelter or pet store. As any devoted dog owner will
attest, our four-legged friends can be expensive. If your pets need
a supportive seat to call their own but your pocketbook is tapped
out from chiropractor visits and doggy day care, do what Elena del
Rio Parra did, and make your own! She's the winner of the Frugal
$ense contest for the month of October, congratulations Elena!
Bankrate: What is your dog's name and how old is she?
Elena: Eco, she's turning 9 in a couple of weeks.
Bankrate: How did you come up with your winning tip?
Elena: It was really
easy. I was just flipping through a catalog for cats and dogs. They're
really expensive items, actually. I have a mattress made of Memory
Foam and she would get up on it sometimes, so I got the idea of
making her a bed.
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| October's Frugal $ense winner: Elena del
Rio Parra |
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Elena del Rio Parra,
of Atlanta, won $100 for submitting the following
tip:
Deluxe therapeutic pet bed for $20
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Bankrate: Where did you
get the shredded Memory Foam?
Elena: I bought it last
fall on eBay. Now, they're selling pet beds made of it. You have
to really pack the foam well; make it hard so the dog won't sink.
Bankrate: Have you always been frugal or was there something that got the ball rolling on saving money?
Elena: Yes, it's odd
because my family in Spain have done really well moneywise. They
don't know what to give me for Christmas as I don't really want
anything. I'm not a good citizen in that way; I'm not very good
at contributing to the consumer society. That's my question, in
general, is there any way society can grow without consuming and
buying stuff? I don't know very much about economics but it seems
like society should be able to function without just being fueled
by constantly buying and consuming.
Bankrate: Do you have
any other money-saving pet tips?
Elena: We just buy good
stuff that lasts. Eco basically likes anything. She likes to play
with 2-liter bottles -- anything -- if you play with it, too.
Bankrate: What is your
favorite all-time money-saving tip?
Elena: Hmm, well it's
not a specific tip. I buy a pair of shoes every five years or so.
I work with university students who just buy on fashion; they're
always buying, buying, buying. You don't have to change your car
every three years. But it's really hard to change people's thinking
and attitudes. I buy expensive things that will last a long time.
Bankrate: Why did you enter the Frugal contest?
Elena: I always read the tips even when they don't apply to me really, and I had this tip -- so I entered.
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