Check out Steady Mom’s announcement today! I am very excited to be introduced as a monthly contributer on one of my favorite blogs. After all, every child needs a steady mom.
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Due to the holiday weekend and our family’s traveling status, I am going to postpone this weeks holiday give-away. I still have two more businesses to feature and some great treats for you.
In the meantime, I wanted to share something I found that has be very excited, feeling motivated and empowered!
Have you heard about The 3/50 Project?
Check it out, it’s pretty cool. The idea is that you as an individual choose three mom and pop type businesses who you would hate to see go out of business. You then make a commitment to walk in a spend x amount every month. The project has numbers based on you spending $50/month (collectively), but really any amount that works for you.
I love this idea, because as much as I love my favorite stores sometimes I go months without walking in. Making a conscious effort to regularly partake in their services or products feels really good and I know they appreciate steady and regular business they can count on.
My only disclaimer to supporting this project is that they give the impression that purchasing online is a waste and that it’s even better to shop in a national chain because a percentage of your money stays in your community. While, I understand those numbers I disagree to a point.
Specifically, I am thinking about the small, quality businesses who set up online such as Etsy sellers and other small businesses (like the ones I have been featuring). I know my dollar is valued through these venues and I trust the business to reinvest the money in other quality businesses that support a healthy economy.
If you buy through a big business online it’s a loose/loose, but I think making wise online purchases is part of the basic grass roots economic system we are trying to heal and balance. It empowers the woman working out of her home so she doesn’t have the overhead of a store front. It helps the family business committed to working together and providing quality services and products. Often times a small specialty business who focuses on quality would not be able to keep themselves afloat if they only sold within their community, but the internet has changed that and I like to support it.
Here is my order of purchasing power. I try to start at the top and work my way down to find what my family needs.
1. Local hand-crafter or service.
2. Internet hand-crafter or service.
3. Local mom & pop that sells products.
4. Local chain or big business.
lastly,
5. Online big business
What about you? What guidelines to you use to guide your purchasing power?
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, that is a pretty cool project. I’m not sure we even shop enough to be able to do it each month, but I know for Christmas it’s a priority. We’re doing such a small holiday this year anyway, which really makes it simple and enjoyable. But a little bird tells herself…uh, I mean, tells me that I’m getting a used lens from a locally owned camera store.
Shopping locally for Justin is hard, though. This town has pretty slim pickin’s for a city our size when it comes to locally owned. And when the man can’t tell me what the hell he wants!
Zeb only wants Legos. I’m not sure we have a local toy store so I’ll check into it. Otherwise, it’s a box store or online.
Tara @ TheOrganicSister´s last blog ..A Privacy Policy
Suweeet! What kind of lens? Do you know????!!!!!
I really love the idea of supporting small business. My favorite place to shop is our local farmer’s market. This past weekend was our Christmas Market and it was so much fun to see people’s crafts and appreciate them. I love buying in places like that and find I usually save more money than when I shop in bigger stores.
My sister recently challenged her small town to shop locally for one month. They live in a small community and were encouraging people to support those businesses instead of making the 10 minute commute to the big city and box stores. It was inspiring for sure.
Thanks for the reminder and the suggestion of making an effort to support those businesses I cherish most.
LJ´s last blog ..Awareness