10 (Really Good) Reasons to Shop Local This Holiday Season! By: Naomi Loving  We all love the convenience of online shopping and the promise of low prices from the growing number of national retail chains. But in our tendency to buy whatever is placed in front of us, we may fail to see what is happening in the big picture. Everywhere you go, you can see local shops with "Going out of Business" signs. The truth is: local businesses are hurting.
Keep Main Street Alive!
While there is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying the convenience that the "global marketplace" has to offer - stop for a moment to think about the personality of our local shops, the warmth of our neighborly relationships, and the originality of our local boutiques! Where would we be without them? A nation of cookie-cutter towns? And what about the promise of lower prices? Ounce for ounce, are we really saving money at the huge international chains, or are we simply lured by low-priced promotional items that get us into the store - only to be gouged by other higher-priced items that amount to not-much-savings at the checkout? Spending local - even if it means buying just a little less - will get us all much more in the long-term!
Here are 10 (Really Good!) Reasons to Shop Local This Holiday Season:
1. Local business owners and employees are our friends, family members and neighbors who want and need our support. 2. Shopping local does not necessarily mean higher prices (check out our local deals - we are working to add more soon!). 3. Money spent at local businesses circulates back into the community because local businesses are depended upon to support our schools, local organizations, programs and causes. 4. Keeping local businesses alive means preserving our community's charm and unique character! 5. Shopping locally rewards entrepreneurship and allows new ideas to flourish. 6. A strong culture of entrepreneurship results in a greater variety of products and services available locally. 7. Thriving local businesses = thriving local job market (often with better local wages). 8. Local businesses are arguably better for the environment by creating sustainable, walkable business centers that reduce the need for automobile travel, pollution, and damage to the natural environment. 9. Without our support NOW, our favorite local businesses may not exist this time next year. 10. We have the power to "vote" with our dollars. Every vote counts. What are you voting for?
And don't let it stop with the holidays!
Here's how we can all make a difference by shopping local year-round:
You can support local businesses without having to rearrange your whole life. Simply being aware and deliberately shopping local when you can will make a huge difference.
 Check out The 3/50 Project: this organization is spreading the word that we can have a huge collective positive impact if each of us pick 3 local businesses that we love and stop in to buy something and say hello; committing to spend just $50 a month with locally-owned businesses can make billions of dollars of difference. Click here to go to The 3/50 Project website.
Remember that the dollars you spend locally are buying more than just the products or services you receive. You are investing in your community. Remind friends to shop locally, and keep spreading the word about all of the local businesses you love! They will surely love you back!
The Author: Naomi Loving is the owner of South Sound MomsTown. To find more great articles visit www.southsoundmomstown.com | 
