3Once you have made the decision to direct your purchasing power toward locally owned small businesses, you will need to adjust your shopping and consumer habits somewhat. Fortunately, there is a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that in supporting local small businesses, you are in effect reinvesting into your community. Here are some tips to help you include purchases from small businesses in just about every aspect of your buying needs.
- Make a list of the places you currently make purchases. This helps you to get a snapshot of what types of goods and services you normally consume in any given month. Knowing what you purchase is the first step in changing your buying habits.Identify at least two local businesses that can supply the goods and services you normally purchase from national chains. For example, if you normally obtain your office supplies from a larger warehouse style chain store, look for locally owned office supply stores that carry the same or similar brands of the products you use.Comparison shop at the local small businesses on your list. Take into consideration the type of products that are in stock, the prices, and how convenient the stores are in terms getting in and out of the store in a reasonable amount of time. Ask about any sales they may offer from time to time, or any type of customer loyalty programs you can enroll in to receive a discount on purchases.Think in terms of quality as well as price. For example, a small neighborhood grocer may have produce that is grown locally and is fresher than the produce that is shipped in for sale at large supermarkets. There is also a good chance that the butcher in that locally owned small grocery will also have choice cuts of meat at competitive prices.Go for substance instead of style. This can especially be true with restaurants. Large chain restaurants often tend to focus attention on the ambiance, while a more simplistic locally owned restaurant will focus on dishing up excellent food, offering a clean but simple dining area, and friendly service. In terms of price, there may be little to no difference between the cost of an entrée at a locally owned restaurant and one of the big chains.Plan your shopping to allow time for visiting several different shops instead of buying everything at a huge megastore. While it will take more time to run errands, the change in venue during the day as well as the more relaxed pace in the local small businesses will probably result in a more pleasant overall shopping experience. This means you are less likely to feel stressed out after making your purchases.
