The 3-50 project
(Which I now am hearing in my head as the "t'ree-fitty project." Darn my brother for making me watch episodes of South Park)
Simply put: they predict if half the employed population spend $50 a month in "locally" owned stores, it would generate a great deal of revenue (not to mention money "staying locally" in the form of local tax receipts).
(I PRESUME this is all correct and has been researched. Economics is probably the thing I am most ill-informed about). And yeah, they may have a little vendetta about buying online - but I will continue to do that, until a yarn store opens up in my town, and until I can find good tea and all the books I want locally.
But I do try to support local businesses. In part because I'm grateful to have them...the down town here looks so much nicer, so much more ALIVE than it did when I moved here. And maybe more businesses will open up. And, as I said, the locally-owned grocery seems to be adjusting its product line to be more in line with what people in town want. So I will probably shop there more now, especially as they are barely four blocks from my house, instead of across town.
I also admit to liking this line:
"Or maybe it means eating out once a month because you realize slamming the brakes on all spending stalls economic recovery."
See? I have to pick up a few fat quarters! The economy is depending on me! :)
(It also reminds me of the quote from a Trollope novel I read, about how a certain character "hated petty oeconomies.")
4 comments:
t'ree-fitty reminds me of my dad, when he'd exaggerate his NY accent! :)
It was interesting to see an article in my county paper about buying locally, just after I read this post of yours! The article was more about local businesses supporting local businesses, i.e., the hospital buying local produce for the cafeteria and requiring their food service company to provide a certain percentage from MD businesses rather than out of state. Also, having the county advertise and make a push for that. Another example, a local hotel using a local printing company rather than an out-of-state one.
Great ideas.
Hmmmm... Locally owned stores. Well, if I wanted to start collecting antiques I could spend $50 a month in locally owned stores. (And that might be a giveaway as to where I live.) Mostly there are chains. Atwoods is just a regional chain, with stores located mostly in Oklahoma. Does that count as local? I'm not sure how widespread Reasor's is. I'd love to shop in locally owned stores and if I ever find some that have what I need I will.
We do occasionally eat at a locally owned restaurant but I don't think we spend $50 a month there.
This makes me so happy that I live where I do; the only things I can think of where my money DOESN'T always stay reasonably local* are new clothing, the occasional big-budget movie, and my cell phone. Even setting aside rent, electricity, and groceries, 3-50 is really easy here.
*The grocery store we usually go to is regional with the home office about 90 miles away, and they have a particularly good track record of treating their employees right.
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