I never quite understood the concept of shopping local prior to meeting my husband. He hates shopping and if he has to do it he rather buy it from a small business than a big chain store. I grew up in central MN (the land of a Target 15 minutes from anywhere.) It was a little bit of a reality shock the first year here. Now as a stay-at-home-mom the inconvenience seems to be nice on the pocketbook.
Without further ado, here is the list of 5 reasons we shop local.
1. Convenience– some of my reader probably wont understand this concept, but the closest Target store to us is at least 1hr 20 minutes away. The closest Walmart is 20 minutes away. Just figuring round trip time, not actual store time, loading up the kids, unloading the kids, getting the items, waiting in line…..that’s at least 40 minutes. I don’t know about you but my time is worth something, and I rater not spend it on the road to the store or at Walmart.
2. QUALITY– Would you rather get a quality item that the store stands and pay a little bit more for the item? Or pay less for an item and it lasts for a fraction of the time?
3. Mainstreet U.S.A.-It is a scary thought, but as much as you complain about the higher cost of items x, y, or z you are able to buy downtown, imagine if that store wasn’t there. If that store wasn’t there to support other local businesses, wasn’t there to host local holiday open houses, wasn’t there for you pick up a quick package of wipes or gallon of milk because you just ran out at 7:55p.m.
4. M.P.G. My husband pointed out this fact to me a few years ago, and it drastically cut down on the amount of “extra trips” that I take to get misc. items or going to get that “great deal”. If you don’t mind the “extra time” you spend on the road, you may mind the money you spend to get there without even thinking about it.
I drive a 2005 Town & Country Mini Van. It typically gets around 19mpg. A trip to the local Target is 84 miles! It would take me 4.5 gallons of gas x whatever the gas price is at the moment ($2.09). Therefore it would cost $9.24 per way!!
5. You matter. The people you see at local stores (employees & customers) you also going to see these people around town so they are less likely to blow you off or be rude because they have to face you day after day. Local businesses also typically stand behind their product, because at the end of the day it is their name and reputation on the line, not the company/manufacturer.
Why do you shop local? I would love to share your story as I spend the next 28 days telling you 28 places to shop local.
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