This post is sponsored by Make Your Money Matter, in association with PSCU, though all views expressed are my own.
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The great divide between my adolescent self and my vague-approximation-of-adulthood self really boils down to money. (Which is part of why there was this phase between the two where I was maturationally ambiguous. Don’t mind me, making up words.)
In addition to all the time spent thinking about the acquisition of money (how/where/what-should-I-do-to acquire it?) I’ve become increasingly aware of how I’m spending it. One of the exciting things about being a newly minted adult at this particular moment in time is that the internet has done a lot to increase transparency. This company directly funds a homophobic agenda? Noted. I’ll take my business elsewhere. This other company has an awesome commitment to free range farm animals? Great. I support that.
As much as I love this state of things, it can also be exhausting. Just as I’m not a single-issue voter, I’m not a single-issue consumer. The list of hypothetical money trails to monitor is ever-expanding and not always conclusive (i.e., a make up company that don’t test animals but is owned by a larger company that does — is it better to avoid all funding for a corporation that tests on animals or to signal your preference for the cruelty-free brand to that company?) As with many things, it’s best to simplify where you can.
In spite of my sometimes fraught relationship with my current hometown, one of its many strengths — a thing I truly admire about it — is that the small-town, community-oriented ethos strongly promotes shopping local. We have our chains and big box outlets, of course. When my family first moved here, the arrival of new, familiar chain restaurants was seen as some sort of victory. Now, it’s only out of desperation (the only restaurant open at 10:00 on a Tuesday night) that we go to those places.
My mom used to be a small business owner in this town and became quite active in the local chamber of commerce. I like that when we go to restaurants, my family knows the family that owns it. I’m spending $10 on a sandwich and that $10 stays within a few miles from my house. Living in a farm-heavy state, many of these restaurants also have strong order-local commitments. It’s a lot easier to follow the trail when it stops just up the street.
There’s also a heightened sense of pride in the end-product itself. There is more dedication and craftsmanship when the money stays with the people making a thing instead of filtering its way up farther and father from the actual product. In addition to the basic principle of preferring to spend money on my neighbors than on a faceless corporate entity, there’s an ethical appeal to the principle. It falls under that basic heading of understanding where my money goes and what it’s broader influence is, beyond the initial transaction that I’m actively participating in.
It’s not all woowoo good vibes stuff either. There’s a direct benefit to keeping my neighbors wealthier — it keeps my entire community wealthier. I, admittedly, make a good chunk of my income from outside this area. However, when I funnel that money back into my community, I increase the chances of finding local work. Mostly, it just makes the place that I live better.
When I travel places there’s always a strong desire to discover the best local establishments — you want to get a feel for a place through the things that make it unique. I’ve found that applying that logic to my daily life has a way of making the place where I live feel a little more magical.
Our downtown has been experiencing its own little renaissance of late. It’s become a charming little area (one that just earned it Most Beautiful Small Town in America — there’s a fun video that shows it off) and much of that is part of a local movement to spend more time and money at the businesses downtown — which are almost exclusively locally owned. In the years that we have lived here I’ve seen, firsthand, the benefits of movements to keep money local. I love hearing about new businesses in the area. I love watching this little town grow and improve. I love being part of that.
That’s why I’m genuinely excited about the Make Your Money Matter campaign. I consider my generation — or at least the segment of it with which I interact — to be particularly conscious about where we spend our money. It’s easy to forget that where we keep our money is part of that process too. I have yet to officially make the switch, but tomorrow, November 5, is National Bank Transfer Day, so I’ll be tweeting about my experience with my local credit union. I’m looking forward to sharing that and I’d love to hear any experiences that you have with credit unions or the importance of shopping local.