Supporting local businesses is something that makes sense for several reasons. Yet it is truly amazing how many people will drive out of town to save money. Saving money by shopping from businesses in other areas then where you live is a bad idea. Here are three good reasons why you should be concerned about supporting local businesses and not just trying to save money shopping elsewhere.
1. If they go out of business you have less places to shop.
Because the money you spend in your local economy is recirculated several times you are not only supporting that particular local business you are supporting where you live in general. Do you like having choices? If you do not spend money with your local businesses they will go out of business and you will have less choices. This affects that particular business you are not shopping at as well as all of the businesses in your local market. That is something that you just cannot afford to do.
2. Local tax dollars provide services you cannot do without
Certainly things such as property taxes, vehicle taxes, and so on do help support some of the services we all need in our communities. But the sales taxes collected on purchases from businesses goes much further. When sales tax revenues are down you begin to notice cuts in things such as policeman, firemen, street repair crews, and so on.
When you drive to another town to spend your money you are helping them support their local services. Is that worth saving a few dollars on a sale that is being run by another business out of your local market?
3. Local business owners have families just like you
Chances are your kids have gone to school with the kids of a local business owner. You may know the spouse a local business owner personally. Consider that when you spend your money away from these businesses you are hurting their families. This is money not available to them to invest back in their kids education, in their local schools, and in shopping with other local businesses.
These local business owners are just like you and they are trying to earn a living and raise their families the best they can. It just is not worth hurting them to save a few dollars. We all live in an economy that is financially tight right now. Trying to save money in every way we can is important. However, hopefully these three reasons why you should be concerned about supporting local businesses will make you think twice about spending your dollars outside of your own local community.…