With Wall Street seemingly crashing around us, and fear of economic collapse smattered across every news site, it seems that the only thing no one is considering doing is spending money.

As Dolly Levi says, “Money is like manure, you’ve gotta spread it around to help little things grow!”

Now, I’m not advocating going out and blowing your house payment on a big screen LCD T.V. will all the bells and whistles. I’m not saying you should go apply for a bunch of credit cards and take on a lot of new debt.

What I AM saying is that when you do need to make purchases, look for ways that your money that can be the biggest benefit to those in your community at the same time.

For example, you need groceries, right? Everyone does. Why not look for a local market, instead of buying from a big chain. During the summer and fall, maybe you can buy your fruit fresh from the grower? Even better, support your local nursery and your local economy by trying your hand at a garden. You might find that you like it, and then your whole neighborhood can reap the benefits!

Need a gift? Try and identify the stores in your area which carry items by local artists or craftsmen. If that’s not what you’re looking for, just make an effort to buy from a locally owned store – as opposed to a multi-national chain.

Eating out? Again, look for the Mom and Pop stores. The service is generally better, and the food almost always tastes better (though that bacon double cheeseburger isn’t going to be any better for you!)

Shopping locally isn’t always the most convenient option, but if you’re really dedicated to helping your local economy avoid some of the crunch, it’s one of the easiest ways.

If you’re really pressed for time, and you’re really strapped for ideas, it’s not the worst thing in the world to shop at a big box store. Despite all of the national news hype about how they only buy products from overseas, there are still some companies in the U.S. that are able to produce goods that are inexpensive enough to meet the rigorous demands.

One last thought: The economy will eventually turn around; if you shop frugally, budget strictly, and spend wisely, you’ll hopefully be in a better place when it does… But that doesn’t mean that you have to go back to your old ways! Keep supporting your local community, and it will keep supporting you!

Feeling stressed about the economy? Why not take a moment to find the Peace All Around Us

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