Anyone ever heard of a soft life budget? I decided to create one after I random conversation with my mentor when he said, “You’re past the age of doing what you want to do. Now, you’re at the age when you need to do what you have to do.”
In other words, welcome to adulting. I must admit. No one has ever put it to me in those words. And he was right. Adulting isn’t as glamourous as I thought it would be. Especially, as a dog mom. There’s real bills, responsibilities, and decisions that I have to make every day. Every…day.
What about the “soft life” that everyone hashtags? How do you get to live that? And how much does it actually costs? If I’m going to dog mom adult, I might as well live my own “soft life” while doing it.
So, in this blog post, I’m sharing the cost of a “soft life,” and how I created a soft life budget for Sugar and I to start living it.
What’s A Soft Life Budget?
According to Google, the “soft life” is a lifestyle that prioritizes comfort, relaxation, and minimal stress. It’s a conscious choice to reduce or eliminate unnecessary hardships, burdens, and challenges in daily life. In other words, it’s figuring out a routine to make dog mom adulting easier.
A soft life budget is a financial plan that supports intentional living with less stress, more comfort, and a focus on wellness. For dog moms, this means funding both your self-care and your pet’s needs.
The Two Types of Soft Life Budget Costs
A soft life budget includes more than just a few numbers on a spreadsheet. There are two types of costs in a soft life budget, financial and hidden.
Financial Costs – Financial costs are those lifestyle expenses in your budget. These expenses include, but are not limited to, rent, food, pet care, utilities, delivery services, and therapy. Your “soft life” financial costs should be intentional and geared toward supporting a calmer life for you and your dog.
Hidden Costs – Hidden costs are the non-financial sacrifices—like time, energy, mindset shifts, or relationships—you make to maintain your soft life. They don’t show up on a receipt, but they align and hep you sustain your “soft lifestyle” as a dog mom. These hidden costs include:
Mental & Emotional Costs – Choosing a soft life as a dog mom means unlearning the pressure to always be “on” while giving yourself permission to rest without guilt—even when there’s still laundry, barking, or budget stress. It’s an emotional shift that impacts how you show up for both yourself and your dog.
Time Costs – Slowing down requires time: time to walk your dog without rushing, prep meals for you both, or manage your home so it supports peace instead of chaos. The soft life trades speed for sustainability—but that pace still needs to be protected.
Relational & Identity Costs – You may outgrow people who don’t respect your new rhythm or question your priorities as a dog mom. It can also feel uncomfortable redefining your identity when you’re no longer centered in burnout, over giving, or “doing it all.”
Soft Life Budget Breakdown: What Does It Actually Look Like?
So, “What does a soft life budget look like for a dog mom?” Here’s a breakdown.
Home Comfort ($150–$300/month) – Budget for cozy upgrades like rugs, curtains, and lighting to avoid bigger future costs.
Home Maintenance ($50–$300/month) – Cleaning supplies or hired help—budgeting for upkeep protects your peace, energy, and overall well-being.
Functional Furniture & Décor ($75 to $200/month) – This covers items that help your space work for your lifestyle—like ergonomic seating, shelves, or a better mattress. Instead of furnishing everything at once, you’re spreading the cost and making intentional upgrades.
Pet Care ($100 to $300/month) – According to the APPA, the average dog owner spends between $40 and $300 per month on pet care. Grooming, pet insurance, medications, and everyday needs are included in this category of the soft life budget.
“Ohh Shhh…ugar” Fund ($25 to $50/month) – Dogs have unpredictable needs. A monthly emergency buffer gives you the flexibility to care for your dog without messing up your overall budget.
Groceries & Dog Mom Lifestyle ($300 to $600/month) – This includes the cost of eating nourishing meals, personal hygiene, and occasional beauty care.
Therapy & Wellness ($75 to $250/month) – Whether you pay for therapy, apps, fitness classes, or supplements, these costs support the version of you that shows up for your life.
Delivery, Automation, & Time Savers ($50 to $150/month) – From grocery delivery to scheduling apps, these are the costs that give you time back.
Other “Soft” Line Items ($40 to $100/month) – This part of your soft life budget covers those expenses that you forgot, like a pedicure, brunch with your friends, or a cute treat for your dog.
How to Use Dog Mom Math to Create Your Soft Life Budget
Dog Mom Math helps you make smart, intentional money choices that support your dog’s needs and your personal goals. It’s about turning everyday choices into financial wins.
It’s designed to help dog moms adult responsibly. Here are four ways Dog Mom Math helped me create my soft life budget and financial plan.
Identify My Dog Mom Math Money Style – Embracing our dog mom money styles help us choose money habits. I’m a “Dreamer.” This means that I’m all about the return on investment. We’ve created a 5-Minute Dog Mom Money Style Quiz to help identify your dog mom money style.
Calculate “Soft Life” Floor – A “soft life” floor is the minimum monthly cost required to sustain your version of a peaceful and struggle-free adulting lifestyle. Calculating my minimum cost helped me determine what income for my budget. Using the “soft life” categories in the previous section is also a great way to start building your “soft life” floor.
Map Out My Dog Mom Responsibilities – Getting clear on how much time and money it takes to care for Sugar helped me budget for both planned routines and emergencies. I’ve learned that being caught off guard can cost twice as much mentally and financially.
Priorite My Emotional and Financial ROI – Dog Mom Math helped me evaluate purchases not just by price, but by the peace they produce. It helped me assess the value of a purchase and whether I was making a good financial investment with my money.
Soft Life Budgets & Dog Mom Adulting
Yes. It’s true. Adulting is still not as glamourous as I thought it would be when I was a little girl. But strategically planning for a “soft life” has made me think about my priorities a bit differently. It’s help me be intentional about my lifestyle choices, money decisions, as well as how and where I spend my time. Building the “soft life” into my budget has also made a concept that at times seem so aspirational more attainable for me and Sugar.
So, as we continue to navigate this adulting life of “have to do’s,” I encourage you to turn the “soft life” concept into a tool to make it work for you and your dog. Use our Dog Mom Money Style Quiz as a first start, establish a “soft life” floor, and adopt Dog Mom Math as a tool to achieve your money goals.
Now, we’d also love to hear from you. What’s in your “soft life” budget? How does it help you navigate dog mom adulting?
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