This article is brought to you and contributed by an outside writer. 

Thinking about pet supplements for Fido? Before you reach for the cheapest item on the shelf, do a little research to ensure you’re giving your fur child something that’s actually healthy. Done right, a little bit of extra money spent on a quality supplement could be a useful tool in their health plan.

Purpose of Supplements for Dogs

Pet supplements aren’t a magic pill. You still need to feed your dog a balanced diet and take them to the vet regularly.

Think of it in the same way you think of vitamins for human health — you might take a vitamin for a specific health issue like Vitamin D deficiency or in order to prevent osteoporosis, but you’re not going to skip doctor’s visits just because you’re taking vitamins. They may supplement your health, but they don’t make you invincible.

You’re also going to take care what you put into your body, because this field isn’t regulated. Same thing with your pup — you’re going to research the best vitamins that support your pet’s specific needs, and you may take special consideration of health conditions that tend to affect their specific breed into account. Their age may also be a factor.

Where Pet Supplements Can Help

Let’s look at dental disease as an example. It’s one of the most prevalent health issues for dogs, and without intervention, things can devolve quickly. Some of the worst-case scenarios are eventual infections of internal organs. This will be a big and scary vet visit.

But if you get on the same page with the vet about supplements that can help with that dental disease, you may find your puppy has better outcomes. They’re not the only solution, but they can be a supportive part of a bigger plan that keeps your pet baby happier and healthier.

Digging for Gold

Let’s be real: You will find some garbage products on the shelf that are entirely filler. Not all supplements are created equally.

That doesn’t mean none of them are high-quality, though. Some things to look for when trying to identify a trust-worthy brand include:

• Transparency about ingredients.
• Clear labeling of active components.
• Products that specifically target your dog’s individual health needs.

For example, Pup Labs online offers products like ProDenta — addressing that need for good dental hygiene without trying to address every other issue in your dog’s body at the same time.

What to Avoid

There is some good marketing in the pet supplement space, but good marketing does not necessarily make a good product. Here are some things to look out for when shopping for supplements for your dog:

• Anecdotal testimonies without any explanation of why or how the product actually works.
• “Natural” doesn’t necessarily mean healthy or safe. This is particularly important if your dog is on any other type of medication, as there are instances where you could see a negative interaction.
• Unrealistic timelines. You’re likely looking at weeks before you see any improvements — not days. So any brand promising overnight miracles should raise your eyebrows.

RELATED: Frugal Pet Adoption in Pittsburgh

Are pet supplements worth it?

Your dog may benefit from pet supplements — but it’s always a question worth talking over with your vet. The lack of consistency in the market combined with the potential of drug interactions makes discussing this aspect of your dog’s health with a health professional a wise choice.

That said, a well-formulated supplement that target’s your pup’s individual needs could be a helpful tool in the health toolbox, with the veterinarian’s blessing.

This article is brought to you and contributed by an outside writer, with contributions to the article from Femme Frugality. 

I am a big believer that gifting is not a tenant of capitalism. It’s a practice that can be found in cultures the world over — even and sometimes especially ones that put society ahead of the markets.

It’s why you’ll find gift guides here on Femme Frugality without shame. Some of them will show you how to shop super frugal — or even how to DIY free gifts on your own. Others, like this one, recognize that it’s not the worst thing in the world to spend a little money on someone you love. Especially if the gift is high value, where value equals high quality for the dollars you spend.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some high value gifts for the dads on your list.

1. Socks with Personality

When dad goes into the office, he’s got to look professional. But that doesn’t mean he can’t show a bit of personality! Socks are the perfect place for it, and if the socks are comfy to boot? Perfect gifting opportunity.

That’s kind of the whole idea behind Southern Scholar — a place to buy dress socks for men that aren’t boring but also aren’t so silly that he won’t be taken seriously.

2. Beautiful Coffee

Yes, my friends, coffee can be beautiful. Before dad puts on those socks, he might need a little (or a big) pick-me-up before heading in to work. High-quality options like those offered by Red Bay Coffee can put a little well-deserved decadence into his morning.

3. Baby Bjorn

Dad’s job doesn’t end at the office. He’s an active parent, too. When my kids were little, I tried two different baby carriers. One was a generic. One was Baby Bjorn. Want to guess which was superior?

TBH, both of mine were hand-me-downs from friends. But if I were welcoming a new baby, I’d definitely splurge on this over a rocking chair. Because baby’s don’t need much — but some purchases do make their parents’ lives easier.

4. Woven Photo Blanket

It’s easy to get ‘junky’ with personalized gifts. But if you invest a little more, you can get him something that reminds him of family that will also last a while. Sites like Snapfish allow you to order photo blankets — but not just faces printed on a thin piece of fleece. You can actually order a woven blanket that will proudly display photographs of family memories in the threads, intricately serving for both function and sentimentality.

5. Sick Watch

Long-time readers will know I’m not super into luxury watches. But if you’re going to go that route, the designs from Talley & Twine are pretty incredible. Again, it’s along those lines of something that’s professional, but still allows him to show some personality.

6. Prized Possession

There are some things money can’t buy. Some of the most meaningful gifts I’ve given or received haven’t necessarily been about the value (though they have held value,) but rather about the act of being willing to give them up.

Let’s say you’re a father, and your son is about to become a father himself. Giving him something that you hold in high esteem and count among your valued possessions — whether it’s related to parenthood or not — could be an incredibly meaningful gift. A signifier of a rite of passage. It may even turn into a family heirloom.

The significance of passing it on becomes more important than the cash spend.

This article is brought to you and written by an outside writer.

Creating a family budget might not sound like the way you want to spend your next block of free time. Doing it for yourself might sound bad enough without having to involve the entire family. The truth is that while creating a budget may not sound like the average person’s ideas of fun, it can have a number of benefits.

You’ll know where your family’s money is going and what you need to do to reach your goals.

You’ll know when you can actually spend money without guilt and when you need to rein it in.

Perhaps most importantly, family budgeting is one of the best things that you can do to give  your kids a head start in life. The tips below can help you begin and stay on track.

Make a Budget

It’s never been easier to make a family budget with so many apps to help you. However, if you’d rather do it on a spreadsheet you make yourself or even on paper, that’s an option too. The principle is basically the same no matter what.

Essentially, you need to add all the money coming into the house and figure out what’s going out. This second part can be especially tricky because it’s easy to forget to allow for infrequent events, such as needing a new tire or buying laundry detergent.

On the other hand, having a big miscellaneous pool can lead to the temptation to spend more. Even if you throw together a quick budget to start, this is why it’s such a good idea to track your spending over several months to see where your money is going.

You can then start to make adjustments. If you’re spending more than you earn, you’ll have to figure out how to either earn more or cut back. Ideally, you should also be able to build an emergency savings fund and put away money for retirement.

Explore Creative Solutions

Financially speaking, life for young families today is a lot more complicated than it was for their parents and grandparents. Jobs tend to be less stable, and sometimes it can be tough to make ends meet. This is one reason the gig economy has flourished, and if you need a few extra dollars, these types of jobs are not the worst way to top up your family income.

One of the places that there can be real challenges which previous generations didn’t face is in paying for medical care. This can be particularly true for dental care, which is often not included as part of health insurance packages.

Dental care for kids provides them with an important foundation for oral health and good habits, so you don’t want to neglect this. One option is an installment plan that lets you get treated now and pay monthly, being able to split big costs into smaller payments. You can apply online for a zero-interest payment plan without hurting your credit score. Your dental practice can provide you with a unique application link, or you can find it online. With this, you can get your kids the dental work that they need without having to wait.

Get Kids Involved

There are many advantages to getting your children involved in the family budget. First, it teaches them financial literacy, which is a valuable skill that they’re unlikely to learn anywhere else. But there are a couple of other good reasons to involve kids in the process.

One is that it can be a bonding experience. It really does build the sense of a family unit working together toward a goal.

The other is that it gives them a realistic picture of what you can and can’t afford. If you’ve ever had your kids roll their eyes at you as you tried to explain why something they wanted was too expensive, you’ll appreciate this one.

There are age-appropriate ways to teach about money, but children of almost any age can benefit from receiving an allowance. This helps them start saving, planning and budgeting for things they want. When they’re very young, you can let them participate in things like planning the grocery shopping. Give them a choice between several items of equal choice. They can also help plan family activities or portions of vacations based on a small budget.

As they get older, you can give them money for things like school clothes and let them make their own purchases out of that budget. In addition, help them open a bank account, and talk to them about money. If they ask you financial questions that you don’t know the answer to, you can research it together.