Cost Cutting Tips for Budgeting

RFFDMSUK
Dec 15, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Feb 28

Cost‑Cutting Tips for Raw Feeding (VMD‑Compliant, Short & Educational)

Feeding a fresh, species‑appropriate diet doesn’t have to strain your budget. Small, strategic choices can keep costs down while still supporting good nutrition. Here's our cost cutting tips

💰 Smarter Buying on a Budget

Plan purchases around major sales such as Black Friday.
Use bulk or box deals from suppliers to reduce cost per kg.
Check out our discount codes.
Yellow‑sticker supermarket finds (e.g., lamb bones or offal) can be excellent value—always compare price per kg with your usual supplier.

🥩 Making Raw Feeding More Affordable

Combine a lower‑cost base brand with premium options to balance affordability and variety.
Instead of complete meals, add Naturaw Forage Pure to an 80/10/10 base (80% meat, 10% bone, 10% offal).
Include dog‑safe vegetables such as dark leafy greens. Around 10% plant matter is typical, but in tighter months you can increase this to 20–30% while still supporting overall nutrient variety.

🏪 Shopping Strategies That Save

Follow raw suppliers on social media for flash sales.
Ask suppliers about “bargain bins” or occasional discounts.
Larger packs are usually cheaper per kg—partially defrost, portion, and refreeze to avoid waste.

🦴 Low‑Cost Enrichment

Lick mats with raw food or bone broth offer slow, calming enrichment.
Stuffed trachea can be filled with your dog’s usual food.
Ice cube trays or muffin tins make simple DIY puzzle feeders.

🥩 Alternative Sourcing

Groups like Giving Up The Game often share discounted game products.
Local butchers may offer low‑cost surplus bones or trimmings.

🍲 Homemade Bone Broth

Using low‑cost bones, apple cider vinegar, and water, you can make nutritious broth in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. See the Bone Broth Blog for full instructions.

⚖️ Weighing & Portion Control

Regularly check your dog’s weight—overfeeding increases costs unnecessarily.
Measure meals with a digital scale; even 10g extra per day adds up to 3.65kg of food per year.
Swap whole oily fish for oily‑fish‑based minces to keep omega‑3s in the diet at a lower cost.

🛠 DIY Raw Feeding

DIY meals using meat chunks and raw meaty bones are often cheaper than pre‑made minces.
If your dog doesn’t manage whole bones, alternatives like Aniforte Ground Beef bones can be used as part of a balanced plan.

📍 Local Finds & Useful Apps

Many butchers offer free or low‑cost bones—ideal for broth.
Farm shops and allotments can be great for affordable produce.
Apps like Too Good To Go sometimes include raw‑friendly items at reduced prices.

🔎 Bargain Hunting

Join relevant Facebook groups for cost‑saving tips and supplier offers.
Compare supermarket, butcher, and game supplier prices with raw brands to find the best value.

🥦 Keeping Meals Balanced on a Budget

Plant matter such as leafy greens and small amounts of berries can support nutrient diversity.
Avoid fruits for puppies under 6 months (except blueberries).
If finances are tight, temporarily increasing plant matter to 20–30% can help stretch meals while still supporting a varied diet.

❄️ Freezing Guidelines

Freezing helps extend shelf life and reduce waste. It doesn’t kill parasites (except in pork and fish), but it can disable them.

Recommended freezing times:

Fresh fish: 3 weeks
Mussels: cook and de‑shell; frozen mussels should state “cooked and frozen”
Crab sticks: avoid—they aren’t real crab
Fresh beef/pork/lamb: 3 weeks
Fresh poultry: 1 week
Fresh game: 3 weeks
Shellfish (prawns, squid, mussels, shrimp): freeze 3 weeks or cook first
Bones for broth: fresh or frozen; bones for eating should follow freezing guidelines

These timings are precautionary recommendations to help owners make informed choices based on raw food manufacturer guidelines. If you choose not to freeze fresh animal products first and your dog becomes unwell, contact your vet so they can assess whether any standard testing procedures are needed.