Fair Trade Blog

Last fall I was lamenting to a friend and customer about the state of the economy. He said he didn’t think it had anything to do with the amount of money available, but everything to do with the velocity of money.

I understood what he meant right away. There is still money out there. Lots of it, in fact.  The country is awash in stimulus money from residential energy grants, to new infrastructure projects, to cash for clunkers, and that’s just the tip of the pile. 

Main Street needs it’s share of that new money.  As an accelerator of dollars, there is none better than your local downtown businesses. For every $100 spent, about $63 gets recycled through local hands like yours and mine.  

That’s the beauty of the program known as the 3/50 project.  It’s brilliantly simple.  Think of three independently-owned businesses that you would miss if they closed.   Stop at each one and say hello while you pick up something that will make someone smile. 

If you spend a total of just $50 at three independently-owned businesses each month you can help keep them open.  If just half of all the employed in the U.S. spent that much each month it means local businesses would benefit from $42.6 billion in revenue. 

We’re all getting back to basics and there’s nothing more basic than local brick and mortar.  Don’t forget to visit the one’s near you.

Keep shopping your good values!