Have you heard of the 3/50 Project? (Click for additional details and here for FAQs.) It provides a great idea for YOU to help your local economy and businesses. You pick 3 locally owned and operated (not chain or franchise) businesses you want to support. Spend $50 a month total between the three businesses (not $150 total). The result is that you are supporting the brick and mortar businesses of your town.
I live in a small town. Granted it is a MUCH larger town than where I grew up, but it's still a small town. Small towns like mine don't offer a lot for shopping. I'm thankful I have two grocery stores to choose from and lots of other stores.
We have a hardware store, feed and lumber store, two grocery stores, several (chain) pharmacies, and a discount store. Around town there are several other specialty stores, too, including a used book store that profits the library. Oh, and we have several pizza shops! Pizza shops make me happy! Most of the stores I referred to are part of a larger chain, but not all of them.
Is it convenient to always shop downtown? No. Is it possible? Um, not if I want to be dressed on a daily basis, but our family does support several businesses downtown.
Do I sometimes shop on-line? Yes. Actually I just placed an order through Amazon for Father's Day. We'll also do a little shopping in town before the big day. Buying on-line definitely does not support the brick and mortar stores of America. However, several bloggers, like myself, are Amazon associates. So when you click through their links (on my sidebar or in a post) and put any item in your cart and purchase it within a timely manner, a small percentage comes back to me.
Of course, my own purchases cannot benefit me. What's a blogger to do? Go to a friend's blog and click through their links so it can benefit someone other than Amazon. Is it the same as buying local? No. But it works. I figure if I need to buy from Amazon, it should benefit someone. Just to clarify, you can buy ANY item, not just the "featured" item, and it will benefit the Amazon associate as long as you start out in a link from that blogger.
Another great way to shop on-line is by shopping for handmade specialty items. Etsy.com is a great resource and offers a lot of neat things. Some are quite affordable, while others are quite pricey. It's worth checking out!
If you are looking to check out some handmade items, visit our giveaway! Even if you are not expecting a little one in your life, someone you know will surely have a baby in the next year or so!
If you are looking to check out some handmade items, visit our giveaway! Even if you are not expecting a little one in your life, someone you know will surely have a baby in the next year or so!
4 comments:
I really love the idea of all of this. I try to do better when I think about it. I occasionally go to a local bookstore or small health food store...it's hard when you end up paying so much more, but maybe I'll try to replace one purchase a month with something local. Question: when you order from someone's amazon, it has to be from the specific items they have listed?
Yes, cost is definitely an issue when buying at a local store.
I edited the post to reflect Jenny's question about buying from an Amazon associate. You can buy any item...and they get the credit!
See - I love this idea! I hadn't heard of this named concept, but I do try to practice it. We also live in a very small town and the town is big on "buying local" to support ourselves. I like the concept. It IS more expensive but, as you say, if you select a dollar amount and put it in particular places, you really are helping. It's true that it really DOES help!
I'm glad you posted about this! Thanks.
I heard about the 3/50 project awhile back and think it's such an awesome thing to do and make known :)
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