Pet owners across America are looking forward to spoiling their dogs and cats with treats, toys, and new things on Christmas morning, just like parents do with children, but you don’t have to spend a fortune on stuffing their stockings. As much as we pet owners like to think that our furry family members know the difference between a $10 toy and a $1 toy, they don’t! Here are a few tips to spoil the pants off your pet while keeping as much hard earned green in your pocket.

1. Put together a goodie bag of treats you already have – Instead of buying 5 new bags of treats for your dogs and cats, how about just buying one new kind and mixing those in with a few of the bags you already have. Guess what? They can’t tell the difference between a red, green, or clear plastic bag either, so instead of spending the money on cute bags, just use the sandwich bags you already have. Take a few of each kind of treat and mix them up in a bag and put in their stocking.

2. Shop at stores where everything is $1 – Even though you may think your pets know the difference between a toy bought at a chain pet store and ones purchased at a Dollar Store, they don’t. In order to give your pet more for less this year, why not give them 5 new toys for less than it could cost you for one. Those toys may not last as long, but you’ll get to watch as they enjoy many toys instead of just one.

3. Start saving paper towel holders – One of the items that both cats and dogs seem to have the most fun with are empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls. One of the ways you can embellish this toy is to stuff it into an old sock (so they can’t eat the cardboard) with a bell or treat inside. Your pet will either hear or smell that something is inside and will keep them happy. If you have a cat, you can even put some catnip inside of the roll!