Pet & People Parcel Subscription Review + Coupon- March 2017

Pet & People Parcel is a subscription box for you and your dog. Choose from a box for dogs 0-30 pounds or 30+ pounds. You can also specify whether you or your dog have any allergies since there are some food items in the box.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.) 

The Subscription Box: Pet & People Parcel

The Cost: $34/month (save with longer subscriptions)

The Products: Two products for you and two products for your dog every month.

Ships to: US (free), international (varies)

Check out lots of other great boxes for dogs and dog lovers in the Pet Subscription Box Directory and make sure to add Pet & People Parcel to your subscription list or wishlist!

There was a brochure listing the items as well as a little welcome note indicating that Pet & People Parcel is interested in getting feedback with respect to the contents of future boxes.

Himalayan Dog Chew Yaky Charms – Value $2.19

We have received these in several dog subscription boxes in the past. They are made from a type of hard yak cheese that you can pop into a puffed structure in the microwave. They are a fun inclusion considering one of the people items (see below).

Jolly Pets Monster Ball (small) – Value $4.99

Unfortunately, this is a little bit too small to give to Nyx. I guess that is the hazard of only having dog sizes available from 0-30 and 30+ pounds. Nyx is 86 pounds right now…Anyway, we have received lots of Jolly Pets toys from other subscription boxes and they are all really sturdy and long-lasting.

Here is your Angus photobomb for the review.

Blank Mug – Value $4?

Gold Metallic Paint Sharpie – Value $4.50

As noted in the welcome card, the value was a little low this month, so the folks at Pet and People Parcel decided to add a few items. One was this DIY Sharpie mug. Apparently, you are supposed to bake this to dry the paint, according to the “Monthly More” page on their website.

I kind of want to use this gold marker on all kinds of things now. (There are numerous white mugs for sale online in all different shapes and volumes.  I used a non-bulk price from Target for a similar mug as a value estimate.)

Here is my decorated mug.  My husband says it looks like a guy made it. (I figured it should have something to do with dogs, but “Rottweiler” is a very long word and I don’t think I could draw a dog.)

Wabash Valley Farms Sweet Caramel Seasoning (1 oz) – Value $1.62 (get 3.7 ounces for $5.99)

This is vegetarian but not vegan (contains dairy) and also gluten free. It tastes pretty good and not as messy as using caramel sauce.  It also has fewer calories than caramel sauce (basically none in a reasonable serving size). I can see myself reaching for this often (or their zesty cheddar cheese seasoning; I had a popcorn popper in college and I lived for cheese flavored seasoning).

Wabash Valley Farms Lemon Yellow Heirloom Popcorn – Value $1.99 (sale price; MSRP is $4.99)

This is the “people” equivalent of the dog “popcorn” from earlier. I think it is fun to get an item from a small producer. This is organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and whole grain. It is also an heirloom crop and is supposed to have a thin hull that means fewer hulls getting stuck in your teeth.  I think this is true, at least compared to the microwave popcorn I eat for a snack at work.  You can pop this on the stovetop in a Dutch oven if you don’t have a popcorn popper, which is what we did.

Custom Print – Value $5

This was included as a bonus this month. It is a nice sentiment.  (Although my dog thinks of me as the evil pill monster. Nyx has to take 28-29 pills per day right now. Seriously.) I got a frame this will fit in from another subscription box and I like to rotate out what is in there so I will put this next in the lineup! I looked up prints about dogs on Etsy and used a value similar to those.

12 Ft White String Lights – Value $2.79

These were meant to be used in a craft activity that is described in a video on the “Monthly More” page on the Pet and People Parcel site. I can’t get the video to work because I have disabled Flash on my computer, but I am not fond of watching craft instruction videos. I’d rather have something I can read. So I found instructions for folding an origami cube. (Note: you have to provide your own paper. I used some 6 6-inchrigami paper and I would not recommend going any smaller than that.) The site these came from was listed in the brochure but I am not 100% sure I have chosen the right item. It is really close, though, as the length and number of lights match.

Here are a couple of the lights covered with origami cubes. There are 35 lights in the string and if I had to find time to fold 35 origami lanterns, you wouldn’t see this review for a month. So I did a few to give you the idea and I will finish them at my leisure. I think the effect is rather nice, though. (But I do wish paper had been provided in the box.)

I didn’t want to leave you without any photos of Nyx so here she is, chilling with Sneaky. Just a moment before, they were both looking out that window together. Sneaky hated Nyx when she was a puppy but now they are buddies.

Verdict: I calculated a value of about $27 for the March 2017 Pet & People Parcel. That would be about $30 if the popcorn hadn’t been on sale. It is a few dollars shy of the month-to-month cost of the box, but about the same as a single month in a year-long subscription.

I have mixed feelings about this box, although I am optimistic since I think this is their first month. First, they do ask for feedback and they recognize that value is something subscribers are looking for, as indicated by the welcome note. Second, I actually did like the crafty/DIY aspect of the box and the suggested extra activities on their website (linked to earlier in the review). Finishing the string of lanterns will keep me busy for awhile and I do like something that requires me to stay off the computer at night (I feel like I sleep better, but I need something relatively mindless, and repetitively folding the same origami shape is perfect for that). Third, I appreciate getting to indicate allergies during sign-up. That is important for both pets and people!

I would like to see a couple of things, though. (1) If there is a craft like origami that requires extra supplies, that they be provided in the box. (I went out and bought origami paper, which delayed this review by a few days. You could cut typing paper into a square or use cut-up sheets of wrapping paper, too.) (2) An option for larger dogs than “30+” pounds. Maybe 50 or 60+ like other dog boxes offer. (3) One more item to increase the value a little bit, to at least meet the cost of the box.

What do you think of the March Pet & People Parcel? Anything you’d like to see in future months?