New Year's Resolution: The 350 Project

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to continue to shop local and support local bricks and mortar retailers. I try to do the whole shop local thing as much as possible and support my neighborhood retailers rather than heading to the big box stores and giant chains. Sometimes, though, Home Depot is the only option when my local City People's Mercantile doesn't have the right part. But it's the first place I head when I need anything for my home, kitchen, toy, gift, a repair, my garden. They have racks of Shannon Martin greeting cards and her bath salts too! I love walking through that place. I hope it never goes away. It's the same for my local bakery, family owned drug store, car repair shop, and book store. The allure of the chains and big box stores can be powerful, but I'm going to try to resist as much as I can and instead support my local stores more often in 2010.

It seems to me that this buy-local movement is catching on across the country. Check out The 3/50 Project. It was started by a brilliant woman, Cinda Baxter, who planted a seed of an idea on her blog, and it has since grown with a life of its own into a national movement.  The idea is simple: Ask consumers to support 3 local businesses that they don't want to see disappear and spend $50 a month doing it. Click on the link for more details.

So join up! Think about where you shop, your purchasing power, and how much you'd miss those retailers if they left or went out of business. I'm recommitting myself to the idea in 2010 and hope you will too.