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Thrift Club: I DIY food and grooming for my pets

Monday, 1 May 2023

Dog-owner Theresa Humphreys on grooming her own dogs, Truffles and Skipper.

With food prices climbing and a recession looming, New Zealanders are looking for ways to stretch their budget further. Welcome to Thrift Club – where each week we highlight the frugal behaviour of one Kiwi, and provide tips to incorporate those habits yourself.

Name: Theresa Humphreys

Location: Auckland

Thrifty habit: I groom my own dogs and make their food

More than 15 years ago West Auckland’s Theresa Humphreys realised she was spending more on haircuts for her toy poodle Chino than she was on her own hairstyles.

It was at that point she decided to figure out how to do the six-weekly dog grooms herself.

The result for Humphreys and her husband Henry is not only massive savings but happy, relaxed dogs – who don’t just get DIY haircuts, but eat homemade meals every night.

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“My dogs are a bit like children, if there’s a vegetable in they’ll eat around it, so I’ll grate carrots and mash in with the rice and chicken,” says Humphreys.
“My dogs are a bit like children, if there’s a vegetable in they’ll eat around it, so I’ll grate carrots and mash in with the rice and chicken,” says Humphreys.

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Theresa Humphreys with Truffles (left) and Skipper (right).
Theresa Humphreys with Truffles (left) and Skipper (right).

Truffles, a 5-year-old Cavoodle, and Skipper, a 15-year-old Parson Russell Terrior who currently sports a mohawk, are both “very chilled and very relaxed” when being groomed at home.

“I found it a really good bonding experience … it’s something we do together every month or two.”

In terms of learning the ropes, Humphreys says it’s easy to find info and tutorials online, which she still uses when she wants to get extra creative with the dogs’ looks.

She purchased speciality grooming clippers from TradeMe, but if using scissors on Truffles she always puts her fingers between the skin and where she’s cutting, to ensure nothing goes wrong.

As for the food? Henry takes care of that and saves even more time and money by cooking up meat he’s happy to sort for his own dinner, too.

He buys the protein in bulk, usually from Gilmours, and “the dogs like a bit of variety” says Humphreys, so they eat anything from pork and brisket to chicken and mince.

They cook in bulk, so will often roast a couple of bags of chicken thighs in one go. Henry will take what he wants, and the rest will be de-boned, chopped and portioned before frozen.

From there rice is cooked regularly once defrosted (to avoid any bacteria habouring) and vegetables and a “small amount” of gravy is added.

Do you have a thrifty habit to share? Email lifeandstyle@stuff.co.nz

“My dogs are a bit like children, if there’s a vegetable in they’ll eat around it, so I’ll grate carrots and mash in with the rice and chicken,” says Humphreys.

Despite it being a far cheaper option Truffles and Skipper eat “incredibly well”.

“They salivate, they know when we’re cooking. By the time it’s feeding time their tongues are out ready for it.”

The money saved

Humphreys guesses the spend is about “$1 per meal per dog”, or around $365 a year for each dog.

In February, Money Hub estimated the average cost of dog food for one dog to be between $600 and $1500 a year.

When it comes to at-home hairstyling, Theresa saves what Money Hub estimates to be between $50-$100 per groom.

Tips for others