Money Saving Tips

[n321]

First of all, let me say that I think if someone is going to keep animals, they need to be willing to invest the time and money needed. You are usually going to pay much more for supplies than for the actual animal. However, here are some things I've learned that have helped keep my costs down:
1. Buy used tanks--this saves a lot of money. I recently bought a 55 gallon for $20.
2. Buy in bulk.
3. Buy online--I buy most of my supplies from ebay.
4. Buy peat moss/sphagnum moss/plants from a garden center rather than the stuff you buy from a pet store. It's usually the exact same product, only much cheaper.
5. Buy mealworms instead of crickets--these should not be used as a staple though. But you can buy 1000 mealworms for $15 whereas 1000 crickets usually cost $25-30.
6. Buy heat emitters rather than heat bulbs/heat pads. I just think these things are the best. They last a really long time and are more natural than heat pads.
7. If you're using filters, use ones that take the same filter cartridge so you can buy them in bulk.

Anyone else have tips they've learned over the years?

[anderson405]

Another thing to put on your list is, Be creative.. I just took 3 cups from walmart and used them as pot for plants. I then put suction cups to the top and now they stick to the wall..

tips I can think of.
Ebay you mentioned but be careful sometimes the stuff is cheap literally cheap made.
I also buy my crickets from ebay.. I dont like mealworms for red eyed tree frogs.. I buy 1000 and breed them.
use natural wood in your tank.. I went out and got some tree limbs that I cut up and sanded nice and smooth. I use them as branches.. No problems with them..
Plants.. i buy all my plants at walmart or lowes.. you can go online for them also, usually ebay has them pretty darn cheap. I get the clearance plants at walmart usually they just need repotted and watered.. I am good with plants.
For heat bulbs I use a 100w light bulb.. My tank has never gotten over 90 with it yet.. I use the weather history to determine what temps my tank can get up to on certain days. I will let it go up to 95 since it gets that hot in nature it should be fine..
Last tip I can think of.. Use common sense when dealing with your pets.

[Faith]

Great tips! I was in a rush to get all my stuff for my firebellies and spent waaaay over what I probably could have gotten by with. Lots of things here that I didn't think of doing. Love the tip about the plant holders with suction cups!

[n321]

Also, shop around and get a good feeling for what stuff is worth. This is common sense, but a lot of times I've bought stuff impulsively when I could have bought it for much cheaper.

[Sarosaurus]

Depending on the type of substrate you use for your frogs, you can usually find the bricks of coconut fiber that can be dropped in a bucket of water and expand for cheap. You get more substrate for less money. I know where I work (a mom & pop pet store), we have the big bricks of coir pith for about 10 bucks..They make a lot of bedding for little cost.

Instead of going to the big box stores for plants (Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot), try going to a local nursery for their plants. If you find a nursery that you like but they don't carry the plants you want, always ask if they can order them in for you! Most places that I have come across are more than willing to do this for you if they know you are going to be a returning customer... (which reminds me, I need to stop by my local nursery and ask about ordering myself some bromeliads).

Always ask friends, family and co-workers if they have certain materials that you might need for cheap and if they are willing to sell them to you.

If you are artistic and have paint laying around the garage that you will never use again, why not use that to paint your background on the back and sides of your tank? Or, if you are not artistic, just paint it all one solid color? We painted the backs of our fishtanks at work blue and it looks so much better than those plastic backgrounds that you cut to fit.