Blog Swap: What give you the most value?

It’s a Blog Swap! Today, we’re answering the question “What do you spend money on that brings you the most value.” Below is  a guest post from Erika at Newlyweds on a Budget. Erika blogs about managing finances in a relationship. Make sure to hop on over to her blog to read how I answered the question.
For more fun, go on over to Narrow Bridge Finance for a round up of all the posts in this blog swap. And be sure to comment and let us know what you spend money on that gives you the most value.

According to our budget records, I have spent $763 on our furry child this year. Something tells me the number is actually a lot higher. Perhaps I forgot to account for a few vet visits or dog food purchases. $750 to spend on someone that doesn’t contribute financially at all to our household is a big chunk of change in my opinion.

But I love this eight-year-old Wheaten Terrier to death. There is no monetary value I could place on the love I have for this dog.

About five years ago, I met Bentley for the first time. He belonged to a family we babysat for. His hyper and energetic personality was endearing and I soon fell in love with him. I dogsat for him when the family was away, and several years later when the family said they could no longer keep him because of personal reasons, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to take him into our home.

Before Bentley, I never understood people who would get upset over the loss of a pet. It’s just a dog, I would think to myself. Having him in our life has made us feel like a complete family: my husband, me and our pup.

There are many downsides to having a dog:

monetary costs
emergency trips to the vet
time lost
picking up dog crap
having to walk them in the rain
having to walk them in the early morning
altering your schedule because you have to walk them
when they mistake the indoor carpet for grass
when they wake you up in the middle of the night because they have to go to the bathroom

But nothing compares to the feeling of coming home to a happy go lucky dog, wagging his tail and licking your face because he’s just so darn happy to see you.

I read on a blog post once–and I’m sorry but I can’t remember which one–that if you ever questioned whether your spouse or your dog loved you more, lock them both up in your car trunk on a hot day and after an hour, come back, open the trunk and see who’s still happy to see you.