ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2021-11-10 01:15 am

Retaining Capital in Your Community

This article offers ideas on how to boost your local economy by keeping capital in the community

For any category, compare options.  If you have local options, use them as much as you can.  Local businesses keep most of their money in the community.  Far-flung chainstores don't give a fuck about your community; they only see it as a place to mine for money.

For things that have to be shipped long distance, ask if you really need it.  Sure global entertainment is fun, but it's a want not a need.  You can entertain yourself locally.  Everyone used to sing, dance, play music and sports themselves instead of watching others do it.  Don't be a spectator in your own life.  And don't saw off the branch you're standing on.

Shop for resilience.  The more of your food you can buy from local farmers, the less vulnerable you are to problems happening elsewhere.  Search for farmer's markets, U-pick farmsorchards (this one is global), community-supported agriculture, and food coops near you.  Bear in mind that late fall and winter is the signup season for most CSAs, because farmers order seeds and other supplies well before spring planting.

[personal profile] acelightning73 2021-11-10 09:43 am (UTC)(link)
I've seen an ad that looks like a billboard, saying "SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - Amazon isn't going to sponsor your Little League team."

Re: Yes ...

[personal profile] acelightning73 2021-11-10 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sponsored by Jeff's Deli - the best pastrami in town!"
lilysea: Wheelchair user: thoughful (Wheelchair user: thoughful)

[personal profile] lilysea 2021-11-10 11:03 am (UTC)(link)
For me, home delivery is essential [a need, not a want] due to chronic illness/Disability

so I can only buy from local businesses if they offer home delivery or post items

sadly, this means I am often forced to buy from big chains, because they offer home delivery

whereas most small local businesses don't :(

Re: Well ...

(Anonymous) 2021-11-10 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
If a local store can do better delivery than the big chains, that would be a big way to attract customers.

By better I mean have something where you dont have to take a day off work for a 15min delivery window... that inevitably happens when you have to go to get your kids at the bus stop or whatever.

Alternately if you know a neighbor with a hand truck and a trailer/pickup truck, you could maybe do some barter or (if budget allows) hire them to collect your stuff.

We have a trailer, which occasionally gets used for this. And come to think of it the wheelchair van might be a good cargo van when not being used as a wheelchair van...ditto for the camper...

Re: Well ...

(Anonymous) 2021-11-10 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Speaking of accessibility stuff, here's a cute video of a guy making an elevator so his elderly cat can go outside (b/c stairs) to bask in the sun.
https://mashable.com/video/youtuber-cat-elevator
lilysea: Wheelchair user: thoughful (Wheelchair user: thoughful)

Re: Well ...

[personal profile] lilysea 2021-11-11 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
so far, every time that I have reached out to local businesses or CSAs about home delivery [explaining that I use a power wheelchair and am mostly housebound] the answer has been "I'm really sorry, but we're not able to do home delivery"