Spend your dollars wisely

With growing chaos, your daily shopping decisions become increasingly important.

With growing chaos in neighborhoods and cities, your daily shopping decisions become increasingly important. Each purchase you make is an affirmation, proof that you support your community and the type of economy you want.

Photo by Steph Quernemoen on Unsplash

Many communities are clearly hurting, and members of your community are hurting in many ways you can’t see. News sources report that small businesses face mounting pressures such as surging import costs, payroll and healthcare expenses, and a shortage of affordable loans.

Immigrant neighborhoods are suffering most. When ICE raids hit Chicago, locals stayed home, devastating restaurants and small businesses in immigrant neighborhoods. Many restaurants reported as much as a 70% drop in dine-in customers. Resolved to support their communities, folks organized restaurant crawls through particularly hard-hit neighborhoods. One restauranter reported a flock of new patrons who saw his business through a tough couple of months. Now he welcomes these new customers as regulars.

Shopping local from small businesses is a direct, consistent way to build and strengthen the warp and weave of your community. It’s about economics, but it’s also about building human relationships and trust. By shopping at the same local businesses regularly, you develop relationships with owners and employees, creating familiarity and trust.

Trust starts with a sincere “how are you doing” and grows into knowing the names of the employees or owners. These micro-moments of chatting often grow into a sense of belonging. You’re each other’s neighbors, with names and stories, hearts and families.

There’s a direct economic benefit created by shopping local. Each local purchase creates positive economic ripples because your local spending stays more in your community than if you buy online or at a big retailer.

Studies show that each dollar spent locally generates an additional $2 to $6 of economic activity inside your community. This happens because businesses pay wages, rent, local suppliers, and even charitable contributions to local groups who work on issues you care about.

Shopping local and at small businesses is something we can all do. It may not feel that significant to you, but it’s essential to knit together your community, one purchase at a time.

PS: Get your free ethical and sustainable gift guide for Valentine’s Day – coming soon!