Pen Air is built on the idea of people helping people. You already know we can do
a better job looking after your money than a mega-chain bank that answers to
shareholders, because we know you and our community. So why give that up
when you find a bargain online? Shopping locally is better for the
community, better for the environment and the best way to find something unique
that can make all of your friends say "wow."
Shopping locally benefits your community.
When you shop locally, the money you spend stays in the community.
Buying a new pair of shoes from a local shop takes dollars out of your
pocket and puts them into the pockets of a local resident, of course.
What you might not consider is that those dollars get spent by the
business owners as well, and they're also likely to spend their money locally.
American Express estimates that about 68 cents out of every dollar
spent in local shops stays at home, and if that dollar is spent locally three
times, it means that - for every dollar you spend at local shops - $1.45 goes
back into the community. It's what economists refer to as the multiplier
effect, and it's very powerful.
Fun fact: The multiplier effect is why the government is
still willing to make pennies, even though minting them costs more than one
cent. The multiplier effect is powerful enough to justify all that loose
change in the jar next to your bed, and it's powerful enough to make shopping
locally a force for change.
Of course, that money doesn't just go to shopkeepers and
restaurant owners. The local government takes out its share in local
taxes. Even if you hate the idea of taxes, and we all may grumble in
April, local taxes go to schools, firefighters, and other services in the area.
Buying dinner at a local bistro can be the reason the town has enough
money to fix the potholes on your street. Not a bad dessert.
Shopping locally is better for the environment.
You already know about the danger of greenhouse gases and the
effects of global warming. If you don't remember anything else, you
probably remember Al Gore's visual of a polar bear floating away. What's
easy to forget is that everything you buy had to come from somewhere. If
you're drinking imported spring water from Fiji, that water flew halfway around
the world. If your new pants were made in China, they racked up frequent
flyer miles, too.
It's really hard to avoid foreign manufacturing, but many local
businesses have locally made goods for sale, which eliminates at least one
flight your product might take, saving on fuel and greenhouse gases. Even
if the product you're buying was manufactured overseas, buying it locally can
shave a flight or two off the product's carbon footprint.
Shopping locally is the best way to find hidden gems.
There's nothing quite like the feeling of finding something your
friends have never seen before. Whether it's jewelry from a local
metalsmith, a purse from a local boutique or pottery from a local artisan,
local shops have the best potential for one-of-a-kind, where-did-you-get-that,
I-love-it-so much uniqueness out of any shopping you can do. Anyone can
get on Amazon or check out a department store. It takes a real
connoisseur with a real eye for style to shop locally and find the best
products. Show off your personal style with buys from local artisans.
One final benefit of shopping locally is that many of your finds
come with a story. Those earrings might be from a local artist who got
the inspiration from the nursery rhyme her mother told her, or those plates
might borrow their pattern from the artist's love of pop art. Whatever
the story, local artists will tell you how they came up with their unique
designs. Part of the fun of local shopping is the connections you can
build with local artists, and hearing their stories is part of it.
If you're thinking about joining in with your own small business,
check out our small business loans. We've got affordable rates and we're
just a click away! penair.org/BusinessSolutions
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment