Why My New Years Resolution is to Shop Small, Buy Local and Use Cash

Shop Small, Shop Local. Its something I hear quite a bit during the holidays but the movement seems to lose momentum as the New Year unfolds. However, with it being something that not only helps your community, but also the environment, I've decided this year I'm not letting the idea slip away.

I'm always full of excuses: it tends to be a bit more expensive, in some cases there is less of a selection, and the one stop shop that big box stores offer is very convenient when I'm short on time. But the positives of shopping small and shopping local are so big, my usual excuses seem to be falling short.

Although I'm not one for making New Years resolutions, my interest in this topic has grown stronger and stronger during the past few weeks and since it coincides with that special time of year, I'm standing up and making a resolution. My New Years resolution is to shop small, shop local and use cash more often than I use my card.

Why Shop Small

Shopping small is all about feeling good; making yourself feel good, having a better experience, and also making the small business owner feel good. For starters, small businesses tend to be friendlier. Why? Because the person helping you is most likely the owner, the owner’s son or daughter, or the owner’s friend so they don't want to disappoint and they have a stake in the business, whether financial or just wanting to see it succeed. Since small businesses don't have hundreds of locations, their reputations mean more, which means they try that much harder to please their customers.

Also, small businesses make up 60% - 80% of all new jobs created and they tend to offer a more friendly and loyal work environment. By shopping small, you are directly and positively impacting someone's dream, helping with their livelihood and helping them to success.

Why Shop Local

Shopping local not only helps small business owners, but it helps YOU as well. When you shop local your money is going back into the local economy. According to the American Independent Business Alliance:

"On average, 48 percent of each purchase at local independent businesses was recirculated locally, compared to less than 14 percent of purchases at chain stores."

A great thing about shopping local is that many of the products you find in local stores are from other local business owners (ie: at the corner bodega or local co-op you might find bread from the neighborhood baker or jam made by your friends grandma). So by shopping local, you're rotating and sharing the money within your own community, building up and strengthening the local economy. You're also helping cut down on harmful pollutants caused by the transportation that is needed from shipping far away (ie: planes, trains, trucks, etc), because products tend to travel a shorter distance to get to that store.

Not only does the money you spend at local shops go to other local shops, but it also goes back to the community as well. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, around 90% of small businesses sponsor and support local charities. This can also include community events, sports teams and schools. That means your money isn't just supporting local business but it's also helping to support your daughter’s soccer team, your friend’s community theater production of Cats and maybe even that family down the street who just lost their home to a horrible fire. This is not saying that big companies don't give charity - they definitely do and they tend to do it in big, generous ways. However, choosing to shop small and local simply means your money is going to more localized charities and back into your own community, versus on a national or global level.

And, lastly, when a person starts shopping local, it helps encourage their friends and family to shop at these same stores as well. With more consumers entering local establishments  it helps encourage more people to become entrepreneurs and open more small businesses, which in turn can create more jobs and a larger local economy.

It all comes back to strengthening your community, helping people with their goals, and creating an environment where people can succeed in their individual dreams, by working together as a collective to support one another.

Why Use Cash (Not Plastic)

I'm already asking myself and I'm asking you (if you want to join) to shop small and buy local. Why does it matter if it's with cash or with card? Especially as I actually really dislike cash. I can't think of it too much or my hypochondriac mind races into overdrive about all of the filth that cash carries.

However, if my intention is to shop small and buy local, than using cash is really the next big step and the reason is simple - more money goes toward the store and less goes to big name credit card companies and banks.

Every time you use your debit card or credit card, a percentage of the sale (usually somewhere between 2% - 4%) gets taken from the business you purchased your items from, and goes toward the bank or credit card company. It's called a service charge. It seems simple enough and not that intrusive for a store to lose that minor of a percentage. But consider this: with one purchase, this percentage might not be that much. But, add up all of your transactions throughout the entire year, and then consider the other card-using shoppers the store has as well, and that business is losing a huge amount of money to plastic.

Essentially, you are handing over your hard earned money to banks and credit card companies, instead of to the small businesses and your community.

This is not to say that plastic isn't wonderful. In many cases it brings in more business to establishments that might otherwise lose business if they only accepted cash. But, if I'm already trying to support my community by shopping small and local, why not go that extra step, which really isn't that difficult?

Now, I'd like to say I'm ready to give up big box stores completely, but... I'm not. I love Target. I spend entirely too much money at Target and I don't see myself giving up my addiction anytime soon. The perfume counters at Macy's own me. I can buy a whole months worth of groceries at Winco for about half the cost of anywhere else. Seriously, half. And, I'm not asking myself to give up those stores and I'm not asking that of others either. This is what I am asking of myself and of those who might want to try this out with me:

• Buy your boxed goods and canned goods from your local box store, but head over to the local farmers market, co-op or corner bodega for your fresh produce and meat.
• If you're making a registry, whether baby, bridal or some other sort of celebration, try using local makers instead of big box stores. Don't know where to look for local makers? One idea is to check out Etsy's "local" option and make a registry using Etsy. You can find makers and sellers in YOUR area and buy directly from the creators themselves. (To shop local makers go to Etsy.com, type in the item you are searching for such as "baby clothes" and then go to the bottom of the left hand side and you can enter the geographic location you want to browse shops in!)
• The next time you're headed out on a date night, choose a locally owned and operated restaurant versus a chain. Yes, Texas Roadhouse is amazing and yes, sometimes a greasy IHOP breakfast is needed. But, maybe every other time you head out you could choose to go eat at the local mom and pop diner or the fancy steak house owned by your bosses brother.
• Walk into that locally owned clothing boutique you're always walking past and check out their funky jewelry collection. If you're looking for a new purse or fun blouse for a night out then labels are nice, but so are one-of-a-kind hand stitched leather bags with life-time warranties and locally designed and hand-sewn clothing. It's certainly an idea to mix up your wardrobe a bit.
  
  

Overall it's important to know it's not about giving up your favorite chain or big box stores all together. It's about making room for new places to shop and it's about easing into a lifestyle where the money you spend means more and has more of an impact.

My mantra this year for shopping small and buying local, is going to be "JUST TRY IT!" Because, a few months from now Target and Chilis are going to still be there. That small, local business you're always passing by that looks really interesting, albeit a little intimidating... well, it might not be around by the time you pluck up the courage to try something new.

Just a thought.

If you're interested in joining me by shopping small, buying local, and perhaps even purchasing with cash, write a comment below with some local stores you love in your city or region to get the ball rolling for others!