COST SAVING TIPS

Here we will talk about tips on how to reduce damage to your wallet. Money saved in one place can be used for another – like your child’s college fund, for instance. I personally feel I am pretty good at cutting cost. I was a broke student before and now I am a broke adult with turtles, if that’s not practical experience, I don’t know what is.

1. Buy used items when possible

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure, as the saying goes. From when I started turtle keep, I have bought used items from tanks to filters to bio-medias. You can save a lot to set up a proper turtle tank. For example, a 4ft tank with cabinet can cost upwards of $2000 for a new set. A used set can be yours for less than $500, possibly. I am starting to sound like used care salesman, but you get my point. Save on unnecessary cost unless you have money to burn.

2. Plan your online purchase

Do your homework and list out the things you need to get. Plan your tank set up beforehand. At this day and age, people go to retail stores for 2 reasons, they are unable to wait for online shipping or they need advice from the store employee. Let’s face it, pet stores don’t give the best advice. If you plan ahead, you are able to save a few dollars by buying online and also avoid impulse purchase at a store.

3. Always over-filter

Always over-filter your tank. You’re thinking, ‘this isn’t cost-saving, this is set-up guide.’

How you save cost is when you upgrade your tank. If you have a 2ft tank and you use a filter meant for 3ft-4ft tanks, you can still use the filter while only changing the tank itself. This allows you to upgrade in phases and giving you enough money for other purchases.

4. Do-It-Yourself

DIY as much as you can. DIY applies for many things, especially if you get used items. You can get a new tank for $400 or alternatively, get a $100 used tank and clean it yourself. You can use the remaining $300 to buy a filter.

DIY is also necessary when your turtles get bigger as no commercial basking areas is able to hold 2kg of turtle mass.

5. Be creative

Keeping turtles can be a form of creative release. There’s a lot of possibilities and arrangements you can design for your turtles. I like to try a different set-up every time I upgrade.

Being creative can save you money. For example, you can make your own filter with a planter box and a pump. Or make your own basking area with an old plastic box. It really depends how far you can stretch your design. End of the day, all that matters is clean water, basking area and UVB light.