Shopping local is hard. It is much easier to stop by Target when you are in a larger town and give everything you need for everyone in your family for under $100. It is simple and convenient. You know your friend is busting their ass at your local trading store in your small town, but their items are expensive and options are usually limited. So, your initial shopping destination is not necessarily their shop, but think about where that money is going. That money goes to a corporation or wealthy CEO that does not live in that community. When you shop locally that money goes to a community member buying their daughter basketball shoes for the upcoming season or buys a family groceries for the week. The money you spend in your community goes back into it to improve your local economy and workforce. It helps a business owner pay payroll and purchase new items.
Without support from locals, small-town businesses would not survive. When it gets into the dead of winter and there are no more tourists coming through town, we rely heavily on locals to purchase items from our stores to keep our lights on. We need that support in order for our businesses to thrive. With that support, we are able to circulate the money back through the community and pay it forward. When someone comes into the restaurant to buy a drink, we can use that money to go to the local trading goods store in town and buy a scarf for the winter season, or a new candle.
During this Christmas season, think about gift ideas you can purchase through people that own small businesses. It does not have to be something very expensive, but consider a small pair of earrings or a hat to buy for a friend that gives back to your local community. Buy something small to add to the cheaper present you bought at target. You do not have to make a financial cut by supporting your local businesses, but I am just asking you to consider buying a local present or getting someone a gift card from a restaurant in town. Think about where your money is going and who you want to give it to. If it was me, I would way rather give money to my community to help my town flourish then some corporation that I know nothing about.
"You can't buy love, but you can buy local and that's pretty much the same thing."