Disclaimer :K

Every neopian wants their pet to be happy and healthy, but it can be hard to do it on a budget! Read on to find out how you can care for your pet while saving neopoints (and sanity).

Feeding is the most important thing you can do to care for your pet! There are extremes of it. From a free diet of omelettes and jelly, to eating at Kelp every meal (60K+ a meal!), all neopets like different things and all owners have different budgets. You should start by keeping a constant supply of food. 5-10 items, always. These can be simple, cheap things, but they are very useful when you are running low on money. Always check the shop wizard if you know exactly what you want. That way you won't get ripped of by buying items from the more expensive and skewed prices at malls with inflated prices. Another option is the Neolodge, weather your neopets are staying at the Cockroatch Towers to Astrovilla, it will keep the happy and bloated. Every neopet deserves a little treat now and then, so set aside a few thousand np's to splurge on food with. This will keep your pet happy and leave you time to do more fun things!

Also, sometimes you pet gets sick. This can be from eating a rotten omelet to Hubrid Nox just wanting to get you. NEVER buy cures from other users. Just go to the healing springs every 30 minutes and eventually she'll heal you pet.

Playtime is also important for your pet! Just sitting around all day can get boring. :( There are a lot of cheap toys out there that your pet will love all the same. You can win Mechafish from the Fishing Hole, Plushies from the Wheel of Misfortune, or just buy some from Toy or Plushie shop, or user stores. (Just be sure to use the Shop Wizard! ;D) Also, you can make your pet happy by taking on a Tiki Tour or on the Roo Island Merry-Go-Round.

Grooming may not be essential, but it is important to your neopet's life. It's your job to keep them looking their best! A few typical grooming items to have are tootbrush and toothpaste, hair brush, shampoo, and soap. There are all sorts of grooming items, from pink lipstick, to black nail varnish, to fake goatees! On the note of customisation, you might not want to spend real money for online items. No worries, you can buy clothing and decorations with neopoints too! These tend to be quite expensive, so it may take some saving for you to get them. Some of them however, you can get through random events, dailies, and in December, the advent calendar. Here is a good list of all the wearable items.

Caring for your pet may sometimes be expensive, but it is worth the time and the money.You can use these tips to keep it cheaper. Because at the end of the day, your neopets will be happy and healthy, and you will be satisfied that you are a great owner! Until next time, groom on, food on, and game on!