This week on Frugal Friday, we’re focusing on the furry members of the family: our pets. And in addition to linking to as many cute pictures of puppies as we can, we’ll also be talking about the major pet spending categories -- and how you can save on each. 

Pet Food
The American Pet Products Association recently released a survey that revealed we spent a whopping $53 billion on our pets last year. Of that figure, $20.6 billion was spent on pet food. Now, we love our pets as much as the next person, but the thing to remember is that as long as the food you buy them contains real meat ingredients, they’re not going notice incremental differences in quality beyond that. 

“I don’t believe owners have to go to organic,” veterinarian Karen Halligan said. “It’s not documented that they live longer, like humans do.” She noted that owners should look at the first two ingredients in any pet food to make sure that they’re meat-based and not veggie-based. With a veggie-based food, there’s more filler, which Halligan said means “your pet has to go to the bathroom more because it’s pooping out all the filler.”

To save money on your chow of choice, check out Petco.com, which is running a 20-percent off promotion across its entire website -- and sales prices are good through March 28. Also, if you have a favorite brand of pet food, don’t forget to check its website to see if they’re offering any coupons. Purina, for instance, is currently offering five different coupons for various cat and dog food products.  

Pet Medicine
It’s important to protect your pet from fleas, ticks and other ailments, but doing so can be costly. Halligan recommends looking into generic versions of pet medication, just as you’d look for generic versions of the medicines you use for yourself. When it comes to flea and tick protection, her favorite generic -- because it’s been tested extensively -- is PetArmor, which retails for nearly half of what you’d pay for the “name brand,” Frontline Plus. Halligan noted that Frontline Plus is great for treating a flea infestation, but if you’re simply looking to prevent fleas, PetArmor is just as effective. And in addition to retailing for a lower price point, PetAmor is also currently offering a $5-off coupon on its website.

Leashes
If you’re not lucky enough to have a large yard and electric fence, you’ll need a good leash that can withstand wind, rain, and your dog trying to nab the scraps of pizza that fall in the street. Vet Halligan advises avoiding the temptation of buying a leash because it’s pretty -- instead, you want something that fits the dog you own. That means something thick and durable for your Rottweiler, while you can get something a little lighter for your 10-pound Yorkie. Kmart is currently running a 10-percent promotion on the latter type of leash, the Majestic Pet Lead Purple -- and they’re throwing in free shipping, too!

More from Jean Chatzky

AP

If the beach really isn’t your thing and you prefer to spend the last weekend of summer car shopping, Consumer Reports has put together an analysis of the best deals for car buyers in five major cities across the country, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Los Angeles.

The end of summer marks the transition between the 2011 and 2012 model year for many automakers. Historically, that means you can find deep discounts on cars for the outgoing model year as manufacturers and dealerships make way for the brand new models rolling off production lines.

Consumer Reports says it’s seeing the trend happen again this summer, and buying a leftover 2011 model rather than a 2012 model can save you serious money upfront.

In Chicago, for example, you can save 20 percent off the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for a 2011 Nissan Altima 2.5 HEV eCVT, according to Consumer Reports data (the offer expires on Sept. 30). And in Dallas you can find a 2012 Ford Mustang GT Premium Coupe with a 15 percent discount on its MSRP until Oct. 30.

For more information on the car discounts, click here.

Mike Groll / AP

Gas prices have come down from their spring peaks but are still over $3.50 a gallon in most places.

The summer travel season is in full swing and you might be looking for ways to save on gas prices that are still well north of $3.50 a gallon in most parts of the country. You probably are already aware that Wal-Mart is discounting fuel prices by 10 cents a gallon through the end of the September, but other retailers have jumped in as well, trying to lure shoppers by giving them a bit of relief at the pump.

Andrea Woroch, a consumer-savings expert, points out a few opportunities:

Drug store chain CVS is offering a free $10 gas gift card to members of its ExtraCare Rewards program who buy $30 worth of selected products by Aug. 28.  

Kellogg’s is offering a $10 gas card in exchange for 10 cereal box UPC codes in a deal that lasts through Dec. 31. The limit is five per household, so if you eat a lot of cereal, you can get $50 in gas cards.

Kroger is partnering with Shell to offer a discount of 10 cents a gallon to anyone who has 100 points on its rewards card. The discount rises to $1 a gallon for 1,000 points. This one gets a bit complicated, but basically you can get 100 points by buying $100 in groceries.

Want more tips to save money on gas? Our friends at Bankrate offer these ideas:

• Choose an unbranded gas station. “Gas stations that are not affiliated with a specific oil company or gasoline brand often have cheap gas prices per gallon because they purchase excess gas from multiple oil companies.”
• Use your smart phone.There are lots of apps and website to help you find cheap gas through crowdsourcing, including Automotive.com, FuelMeUp.com and GasBuddy.com.
• Pay cash. Some gas stations offer a substantial discount for leaving the plastic in your wallet.

Share your own gas-savings tips in the comments field below.