Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Be A Smarter Shopper
Do you look forward to Thanksgiving weekend shopping trips, when you join the bargain hunting free-for-all with thousands of other shoppers?
Not me. My idea of a perfect Thanksgiving weekend is having some peace and quiet to recuperate from the excess I enjoyed on the holiday itself. Once rested, I’d rather play with my grandchildren than work to add more to their toy collections.
For those of you who do plan to travel North or South to begin (or continue) your Christmas shopping on Thanksgiving weekend, let me offer a few suggestions:
1. You can save even more money by shopping here. Local merchants offer Black Friday and Small Business Saturday specials, too. Prepare by finding local bargains in our newspapers and the radio; then plow the money you would spend on gas into another gift.
2. Time is money. In addition to the time you’ll spend on the road travelling to another city, you will spend more looking for parking places, elbowing through crowds and standing in endless lines. You can devote more time to actual shopping if you buy from local merchants.
3. Stress is expensive. Holiday shopping in bigger cities can lead to the long-term problems associated with stress, in addition to short-term problems like trampled feet, bruised elbows and dented fenders.
4. Local people work at local stores. This may seem obvious, but I think we sometimes forget that merchants provide jobs for our relatives, friends and neighbors. We help create and maintain those jobs by shopping at home.
5. Local stores support local causes. When you patronize Lawrence County businesses, it increases their ability to help people in need. One of the most popular ways to raise money here is the benefit auction, featuring items given by area merchants. Your patronage is the perfect way to thank them.
6. Returns are easier. No matter how carefully you shop, it’s inevitable that some gifts won’t be exactly right. If you purchased them out of town, you or the person you bought for will be fighting crowds and standing in line to return them. Service is better, and quicker, when you buy and exchange locally.
7. Gift certificates are more convenient to redeem. Many of us give gift cards because they are easy and guaranteed to please. But if the person you’re gifting has to go out of town to enjoy them, you are requiring them to spend money and time in order to do that.
8. You can find variety here. If you want to give a gift that wasn’t mass-produced, look to local merchants. Small Business Saturday, which follows Black Friday, is an effort that encourages us to “shop small.” A unique gift that is a perfect match for your loved one’s interests will be valued more than others. You will find that gift at a small Lawrence County business.
9. Your sales tax helps support this community. City and county governments and local schools receive a portion of sales tax revenues when you buy in Lawrence County. That equals less dependence on property and wheel taxes.
10. Your sales tax helps support this state. The state of Tennessee receives a portion as well, which supports the many state services that we depend on. Tennessee’s Commissioner of Tourism Development was here recently and talked about the importance of tourist spending. It is “huge,” he explained, “because we are a sales tax-based state, not an income tax-based state.” You will pay sales tax wherever you go, but it only comes back to help you and your family when you shop in-state. Every cent helps when you shop in Lawrence County.
I hope I’ve convinced you to spend more of your holiday shopping dollars at home. It will help you and this community, year-round.
