Making the choice to have a pet showed me how expensive it can be.

I would have to
spend money on dog food which is at least $14 a month. Going to vet for checkups frequently is
also really expensive. The price can range from $58 to $60. Taking my dog to the groomers is
also expensive as the prices range from $40-$75. I wouldn’t take my dog to the groomers
monthly but considering the other things I pay for, it adds up. The apartment I picked has a $15
pet rent and a one-time fee of $200. Anything that happens to my pet has to come out of my
pocket.
Wants like personal essentials were tricky to pick out. A lot of the things I use are pretty
expensive. For an example, for my skin care I used prescribed products, so I had to look for
similar alternatives to those products. Another example is hair products. I have colored hair, so I
use shampoo and conditioner that is made for colored hair. It’s expensive so I had to look for an
alternative. The one I picked was $6.29, which fits in my budget. I had to leave some things out
to make sure I didn’t go over my budget. Things like hair products, skin care products, water
pick, etc. I either left some of the items out because I wouldn’t need them in the future, or I
couldn’t afford it.
If I had $200 less, I would completely cut out having a pet. From vet expenses and basic
pet essentials, it would be pretty expensive. I wouldn’t be able to afford having a pet and taking
care of it because I would have to meet my needs first and I know having a pet requires you to
manage their needs and yours simultaneously. With that being said, I would save so much more
money if I didn’t have a pet. If I had $200 more, I would add more entertainment services. I play
a lot of different video games and some of them have subscriptions. For example, a game I play
is DC Universe Online, and it has a subscription option for $9.99 a month. I could also put that
money towards going out. I don’t go out a lot but If I had the opportunity to I would and I would
have money to spend. For example, going to the mall, going to the movies, taking my family out
to hang out or eat, treating myself, buying décor for my apartment, etc. I put that $200 to my
wants because I feel like I have everything I need.
My needs were my main priority doing this project. I focused on my wants last because I
wanted to spend my budget wisely. I did well on knowing what to spend my money on like
household expenses, personal essentials, my pet’s needs, services, etc. I had to use a different
lens when doing this because it’s set in the future. It was kind of confusing, but I had no trouble
setting my budget.