Let’s help our own community … the place where we
live, where our kids go to school and where our friends and family are to be
found …
… by spending just £5, $5, 5 Rand, or five of your own
currency per week at our local businesses – it’s reckoned billions would go
directly back into the local economy …
… leading to more local jobs, more opportunity, better
facilities and nicer places to live … saving councils money as there’d be fewer
people needing help … and there’d be more services for those in need …
So please spend local – and a fiver a week isn’t much
is it?
We can still use supermarkets, large brand stores,
online shops … but each ‘money box’ amount
of cash would make so much difference to our enterprising small business owners
– fruit and vegetables, delicatessens, restaurants (not brands!), newsagents,
farmers markets … just buy local.
You’d save money too – not using the car and wasting
petrol; using your feet – getting that extra bit of exercise in; preserving the
local identity … keeping our towns unique and not all the same homogenous range
of products …
Let’s go local … please mentally pledge to regularly
buy locally – and preferably spend in an entrepreneur’s shop, rather than the ubiquitous
stores that abound in town centres …
… and then put a few left over pennies into the
charity boxes around to help hospices, the homeless, food banks, animals and
birds …
 |
| For us here - spend locally in Eastbourne, East Sussex |
… as well as services that help local charitable
organisations … Citizen’s Advice; Royal National Institute for the Blind, Hospices et al ...
Let’s change the way we all think …
S H O P L O C A
L
We are the
World … In Darkness, Be Light
Let’s all give it a go and encourage our families,
friends and fellow locals to get out there and spend those few Pounds/ Dollars/
Rand each week in our local shops … benefiting our villages and towns - thank
you!
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
52 comments:
We always shop local and the smaller shops when we can. Having said that though, most of the supermarkets here sell 'grown/made in France' on the shelves. They do not import a lot of food and if it is out of season you just go without! Paris, of course, might be a bit different, I have never shopped there, only visited as a tourist. Take care, cheers Diane
We do spend locally and regularly patronize many local stores, especially food stores, farmers markets and the like, but the fact is we can afford to. If the cauliflower from the local Mennonite farmer is a little more expensive we buy it anyway. People earning minimum wage or a little more cannot afford the luxury, and have no way of getting to the farm anyway. The redistribution of wealth in society is what is needed.
Having been a local shopkeeper for many years I wholeheartedly endorse this post! I always look in our small local High Street before trying the larger stores.
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s silently sagacious Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
solid post. Indeed, I try to not always use the big box stores. And instead of travel far away, I try to support the local arts. Small steps, but if everyone does it, it keeps our local communities alive.
Cheers to you
Local is still several miles away, so no walking. But the produce we buy in the store is almost always local.
Shopping local is such a great idea.
I always think shopping locally for fruit and veg is clever because the greengrocer has the freshest, most luscious stuff available. And it supports the local farming families who need the income.
If you love tropical fruit but live in Iceland, I suppose you have to import the fruit.
@ Diane - it is so much better ... I've always tried to go local - but not always terribly regularly - my routine has changed. The French shopping habit is great ... and probably always has supported the small centres - I expect Paris would be similar in places ...
@ David - I know it's difficult for the poorer person and those without a car ... it's just a prompt to those of us who can spend a little more or something in the locality - makes sense as it enhances the neighbourhood. I'm sure you do ... this would help redistribution of wealth ... the more spent locally the better all round.
@ Bazza - great ... I'm sure you know the feeling and understand the concept to the full ... even the big brands now have sub-branches around - which could be avoided ...
@ Joanne - thank you ... I'm sure you support your local arts - which I can see from the blog you do ... and exactly all the local spend keeps those communities alive ...
@ Alex - sorry about the several miles - for that I'd drive too!! Good to know you are using local product though ...
@ Kelly - isn't it ... and should be relatively easy to do ...
@ Hels - yes they do get in regularly and it does support our local family farmers, who can always do with a bit more ...
I don't know what they'd do in Iceland ... import it or perhaps now grow it under glass and heat - we're getting more of that around the UK ...
Thanks so much for the comments - glad local seems best ... cheers Hilary
Hari OM
I and my family and friends are all those in the bracket of buying local/artisan. Fortunately, our local 'corner shop' holds all the basic items at more or less the same price as the big supermarket at the other end of town - though that place does look to stock as much of local produce as possible. I think being rural holds an advantage in that regard. YAM xx
Having run several businesses myself, including three in Eastbourne - 2 retail and one restaurant - I know exactly where you are coming from! In the street where I live we have a butcher, a greengrocer, a fishmonger and a baker, all independent, and all well supported.
When I lived in Michigan, there were farmer markets in all the towns and villages and we always shopped there. But here, the only decent one is pretty inconvenient, but due to the weather, I harvest much of what I would buy from farmer markets in our plot within a community garden. Farmer Markets always have been produce than box grocery stores!
www.thepulpitandthepen.com
Love this post. We shop locally as much as we can and walk as much as we can. Unfortunately, we are not really within easy walking distance of most shops. Weekends see my husband buying fish from the fishmonger and meat from the butcher and fresh fruit and veg from the greengrocer. We also shop at the local farm shop. That said, I do order a lot online - especially the heavier items. I suppose we can all do as much as we can even it is only a little :-)
Hi Hilary, good to see you here and as you know if you were here in SA you'd agree that local is lekker. I'm in full agreement of supporting local wherever possible ...if, eg one doesn't have a local grocer, butcher, haberdashery etc then to buy fruit and beg in season and goods made locally even if they are sold in large department stores.
I prefer local shops, Hilary, especially for fresh produce and bakery goods. I enjoy small, individually owned bookshops, too. Local cafes, Mom and Pop stores are the best. This is a great post. Thanks for reminding your followers to "shop local"!
I live in such a small community it is easier to stay rather than drive 30-50 miles for goods. We have all we need most of the time.
Three cheers! I'm a huge fan of supporting local businesses. Our town still has an old-fashioned small town feeling about it, but its little shops and restaurants are thriving. And they're quite unique, too. One of our shops is "Taste of Britain," and they sell all kinds of foods and other goodies from the U.K. People come from all over just to visit that little shop in our little ol' town. :)
Have a super week, dear lady! Cheers!
You are right Hilary - I do buy local probably $5 a day! I like your ideas on how to help out the neighborhood.
It's always good to try to support small local businesses. It's hard for them to compete with the big guys.
Supporting others is the key to the world moving forward. I'm from a rural town and spending locally means life vs death of a small business. Every little bit helps because it's added to the other.
Teresa
@ Yam - yes there are definitely wonderful people out there ... who provide for us to shop local - without the effort of travelling further. Rural life may hold that advantage ... yet it can happen in smaller suburbs of town or larger village ... thankfully does here in Eastbourne ...
@ Keith - yes I know you've run various places in local towns. You're lucky that the butcher, greengrocer, fishmonger and baker all operate very locally - and obviously well supported - one will contribute to the other ...
@ Sage - thanks for coming by ... it's great to know we all think along the same lines. I'm glad you're able to grow your own in the main - and I expect your community provides for more ...
@ Deborah - thank you ... I am now shopping more locally and started to in Canada to do more. That's great your hubby goes out to find local ... and the farm shop must provide a fair amount ... I know we order online for certain things - and that's fine - yet there is more we can do to shop locally - though I'm sure you're doing the best you can ...
@ Susan - yes I'm here and I do know that local is 'lekker' - and supporting everyone around us as best we can. Equally I'm sure most of our blogging friends will always do what they can to support local enterprises and keep the locality thriving ...
@ Victoria Marie - thanks ... so do I. I'm glad I'm reminding us all and then get each of us to talk about local and the support we can encourage others as well as give ourselves ...
@ Steve - you're lucky in that respect and yes ... each enterprise helps the others ... and it's good to know you support each other ...
@ Susan - thank you ... we need to be reminded sometimes. You're lucky by the sound of it ... as I am - Eastbourne has some good areas ... yet the town centre is not doing too well. What fun to find out you've a 'Taste of Britain' store in town ... great!!! And I'm sure gives it the locality a lot of other benefits ...
@ Sandie - thank you ... it's good to know we're all aware and doing our bit to help our local businesses ...
@ Sherry - that's the main thing isn't it - it's difficult to compete with those big guys ... and they seem to be all about profit, rather than helping others ...
@ Teresa - isn't it just .. helping everyone locally keeps the community going and keeps businesses alive ...
Thanks so much to you all - we can all help each other so much with all the things we do close to home ... cheers Hilary
I've also heard this expressed as "just a card". When you go into a local store, just buying something simple, like a card, helps their bottom line.
We're lucky to have a good local butcher and the post office is now in the grocery shop - we've also a great local craft shop that supports local artists and crafts people - the village is not within walking distance for me, but en route to doctor and dentist etc .... and while I don't do all my shopping there, I'd be in 2 or 3 times a week at least. I love the idea of pledging to spend at least £5 a week there. Great post Hilary xx
Good thinking!
The travel part of the equation is a bit of a balancing act. If I'm already in the supermarket for some things, is it really a saving to then travel a few kilometers that I wouldn't otherwise have done just for that item, rather than the one on the shelf in front of me? Having said that, I do look for labels and buy BC or (even better) island-grown produce wherever possible. Luckily our nearest store has a policy of sourcing locally as much as they can.
My fruit is delivered as I don’t have a car to shop with, and live upstairs. However, the sellers are a co-op, the fruit is organic. There are very few milk bars/small grocery shops in my area, so yes, I do use supermarkets, and bakeries for bread(but the bakeries in my area are a franchise).
This is excellent advice. I shop at the local toy store though it's more expensive than going to Amazon or a department store. Also, the local card and gift shop and at least once a month, we go to the local farmers market for locally grown produce, baked goods, meats, cheeses, and it's wonderful.
I feel so much better when I shop local markets, especially food grown close to home. You inspire me to do this more!
@ Liz - I haven't heard that ... but it does make sense ... buying something simple locally - I'll remember the 'just a card' ...
@ Fil - the post offices seem to be closing and moving into another store, or as here the PO has become a grocery store as well. That's great that you'll spend that bit more in your local shops. We can't all not drive to places - and good to know you do most of your shopping there now anyway ...
@ Anabel - yes ... does make sense doesn't it ...
@ Ian - I know ... when one is working, buying in one fell swoop makes sense and not driving somewhere else to get a few things. That was one of the good things of being on the Island, and in British Columbia - it was promoted in so many ways for shopping - I feel we could do a bit more here ... and I guess you're thinking of Country Grocer and I was impressed by them - supporting local growers ... I know you'll be responsible re shopping and supporting the local communities ...
@ Sue - I'm the same here ... but I can walk into town. I don't buy that way as I end up with too much, as I'm only catering for me. It's good to know you are supporting your local co-op - and that it is organic. Some areas won't have a choice ... but if we're aware and doing what we can - the local government/ community will be helped ... as you obviously are ...
@ Susan - It's good to know you're already supporting your local shops and markets ... while buying toys locally is great. There are a number of craft shops here - just something I tend not to need. The farmers' market for all your day to day goodies sounds wonderful ...
@ JoAnne - yes ... just driving out for the sake of it doesn't help our own ... so it's good to know you're going to do more shopping locally and for produce grown nearby ...
Thanks so much for picking up the idea of shopping local and putting the cash back into the locality rather than the big boys ... here's to happy shopkeepers and entrepreneurs - cheers Hilary
oh what a great idea In darkness be light I love that Is there a prompt each month? I will join next month I think it is very important to shop locally and especially local farmers and markets and little shops Love it and I think a local economy is the future. It will be cheaper and fresh and good for the environment. Great post and yes charities are important as well
Indeed Hilary - and it's fun to see how even a little local expenditure quantified as making having a huge impact. Shopping locally and supporting artisans and entrepreneurs is something I am strongly committed to and grateful I'm able to do. While it seems we're increasingly moving in the opposite direction, I'm inclined to believe more and more in the near future we will be finding our economic and heart centers more focused in our local communities.
I love it when the warmer days bring the local farmer's market every Saturday. We're far from walking distance to any place, but the farmer's market gets our legs moving. :) Have a lovely week, Hilary.
What a great reminder, Hilary. There aren't too many that are convenient to reach in my neighborhood--which sounds odd. I'm much closer to the big boxes. But, I am going to search them out.
Yup, local fresh veggies are pretty inexpensive where we live. Always can pick some up for 5 bucks :)
I do try to buy local but most shops that sell local product are a drive. I do frequent the local mom and pop shops and support them as I don't want to drive 20 minutes just to buy a container of milk.
Hi, Hilary- Thank you for sharing this very important message. I fully agree. If we each commit to spending five dollars per week at local shops in our own communities, it would be a win-win all around.
I made your Spanokopita recipe this week -- and shopped local to do so. That was another all-round win. It was not exactly the same as yours -- but still incredibly delicious. You can see the results on my attempts on my website.
I try to shop locally whenever I can. Most of the year I buy a lot of my produce from a local farm and market. Fresh and delicious- as well as better for all the reasons you listed in your post. It is amazing what a difference $5 can make on our local economy. Thanks for sharing. :)
~Jess
I resented the supermarkets when they first arrived for precisely these reasons. I always supported the corner shop, like my parents. We were quite happy to pay a little more. One by one the corner shops went out of business and were undercut by the supermarkets. I now use them because they are much more convenient but when I come across the little guy i give them a shout when I can.
I think that's a wonderful challenge! For Christmas this year, I shopped local more and purchased gifts from craft shows and crafters I know. I prefer handmade to manufactured...I hope the people on my gift list do too.
@ Marja - it is an amazing idea ... and great you'll be joining us - I'll be emailing you the details shortly. It is essential to keep our local communities going ... each $ or £ just feeds straight back into where we live. Exactly - cheaper and better for the environment and our own health ... as too the charities - thank you ...
@ Deborah - that's great that you're already doing your part ... and know the benefits of shopping locally. You are right to make the connection about the future being tied in with our own local communities in so many ways - heart centres being the major one - thank you ...
@ Christine - that's wonderful you have a farmer's market to support on Saturdays ... where you can all wander around, yet support their produce. I know most of us need cars to get places ... so can understand it's not always possible - just the more we can do (even a little more!!) it all helps ...
@ Jacqui - big box stores are easy aren't they ... but it's good to know you'll search out some smaller shops nearby, and put some spend their way ...
@ Mark - yes good produce direct from the farmers is always good news ... and glad you regularly pick some up ...
@ Rhonda - I'm sure you'll be doing your bit down under in Auckland - and yes obviously driving to do a big shop will be a necessity at times ... the more we can do the better ...
@ Donna - on Vancouver Island I found so many wonderful smaller shops and markets ... certainly helps the local communities and they're great entrepreneurs ...
I saw you'd made the Spanokopita recipe ... and I'll be over to comment ... I gather Richard has requested it again! Good news I say ... I love it!!
@ Jess - that's great to read that you are already shopping at the local farm and market - fresh, delicious and in-season ... I think that $5+ that we spend will make the difference for the smaller shops ...
@ Eddie - yes ... those were the days weren't they - going to each shop ... I remember one shop that started to sell more than just veggies and branched out to bacon, dried goods and cheese. I can quite understand - but it's good to know you shop at the little guy too ...
@ Elizabeth - excellent to read you purchased a great many of your gifts and purchases from the local area and craft shows ... I agree handmade is so often better than manufactured. I'd have loved one of your gifts ... so I hope your friends and relatives did too ...
Cheers - and thanks so much ... it seems the post has hit a chord and you'll be doing more of your shopping in the local shops and stores ... here's to improving our environment and communities ... thankyou! Hilary
Now that I've moved to a more locally minded town, it's a whole lot easier to buy stuff from the local stores, because there are so many of them! It's so much nicer giving 2.50 euros to a guy who appreciates it, I think, much more than the cashier working thier shift.
I like to shop local and only rarely use the convenience of shopping online. Fruit and veggies are bought from the guy with the cart who comes around to our houses every morning. I've even done a blog post on him. I'm so glad you wrote about it.
We do have some lovely little shops in our town that we frequent. Love your message, Hilary! It certainly makes sense to contribute to your own, local economy.
I always try to support local merchants whenever possible. Farmer markets are great in the summer and fall.
@ Mark - well that's great to know that you're now living in a town with real community spirit. So good to know these areas still exist ... and that you're already supporting your entrepreneurial shops - well done ...
@ Kalpanaa - I hardly shop online ... and am trying to avoid the bigger supermarkets, while I buy locally. You have the most wonderful system with your barrow carts offering you all manner of produce or goodies. I must look to see your blog post on your local man - lucky you ...
@ Debbie - that's good to know there are these type of shops in the local town - and excellent to know you'll be visiting them more often ...
@ Truedessa - wonderful .. and I know farmer's markets are exciting places to visit and shop around ...
Thanks so much - it's great to know our local economies will be benefiting from more of our spend ... here's to thriving town centres - cheers Hilary
I tend to divide it up. I shop on Amazon all the time but I also love local spots. Especially food. We have so many great little spots because we're a tourist destination. So there's always someplace to explore. :)
Elsie
Thanks Elsie - I try and buy everything off line ... not always possible - but like you we're a touristy town ... so there are lots of things to support to keep that economy going round and round - cheers Hilary
Hilary: Buying local is difficult for us. In the past 2 1/2 years, we have had two grocers close their doors. One chain went bankrupt and the other closed the store in our neighborhood.
The chain that went bankrupt started out several years ago in a small town about 15 miles from our town. It grew and eventually moved its headquarters to our capital city about 35 miles away.
I was looking for a raincoat last spring. I could not find one to my liking in any stores around here. I finally gave in and ordered one online.
We shop local whenever we can. Sadly, in the States, local sometimes is more expensive because it's organic, or "Local" or whatever excuse they use to tap into the market of folks wanting to eat healthier and locally. Then we also have the regional issue. When we lived in Georgia, the county next to us, their fields were all owned by big business, so none of the "local" produce came our way! We had to really search out smaller local farmers to get local produce and meat. But we did it and it did work! Now, we live in a large city and try to find farmer's markets. Great post and I wish I could buy everything locally grown/raised!
I’m finally back online after about a month. The war between Yahoo and Google ended. Almighty Google finally let me into my own two blogs. A miracle, as it were.
@ QuietSpirit - yes it's so sad isn't it when local shops close up ... just shows really why we need to support them while they are still existing. Sadly needs must sometimes and the internet comes into its own ...
@ Lisa - even if it's more expensive for a few items ... at least it helps to keeping the local store open. And yes one can shop around ... and it's great to see you worked out how to get to your farmers' markets to buy as much as you can locally. Large cities seem to swallow the smaller entrepreneur ... as you say it's searching them out.
@ Ray - it's good to see you ... I hadn't realised you'd been having Yahoo/Googling competitions! Glad it's sorted ...
Cheers and I'm just off out to get a few local things ... take care and have good weekends - Hilary
I try and shop local as much as possible, but it is tricky because Singapore produces very few things and almost everything on the shelves is imported.
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Hi Damyanti - I'd be interested to learn more about where your food comes in from ... but yes it is a tiny nation state ... so understand that dilemma for you. Thanks for reminding me ... cheers Hilary
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