Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you and yours a safe and joyous Thanksgiving this year.

Why local business?

I received this email forward from my aunt today--we often talk about the value and necessity of buying American and buying local. Think about it...everyone needs things, so isn't it better to buy them that rather than cheaply made & cheap products they don't need.

Sure, that mug might be nice for one season/occassion but do they really need another mug? (Pictures of grandchildren aside...apparently there can never be too many mugs with grandkids on them!)

So before you buy that cheap made in China mug cause you're there and it's there and you can't be bothered to take 10 more minutes to look for something that person might actually like and use, think about it! Ten minutes of thinking about that person's gift?

I'd personally love a year's worth of car washes...

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

 

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

 It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?  Everyone - yes EVERYONE - gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

 

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

 

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamin’s on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

 

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift  certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.

Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about
supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the
line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

 Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand

Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to

follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigs list in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

United States of Awesome Possibilities

I don't make this stuff up. Marketing America: The ‘United States of Awesome Possibilities’

Looks like we're re-branding America for tourism purposes. And while we here love that idea, is this the right way to go about it? Wouldn't people want to visit a strong and vibrant country where change is possible and America really is the land of infinite possibilities?

The site also links to several partners in the effort, among them: federal agencies related to tourism, such as the National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Program, transportation companies like rental cars and buses, and travel agencies and tour operators. Another major part of its push so far appears to be social media, with the CTP creating fan pages on Facebook for different cities.

We're even more for supporting the National Park Service-if we don't protect our country who will? But...but...there's just something off about this. Unless we're entirely too skeptical and there's not enough information on this site? You decide:

"What is so compelling about the United States is that no one thing can explain who we are as a nation. Each visitor and each experience helps create the fabric of American culture, and Brand USA embodies this spirit."

It's a success they say

At least according to FireDogLake.com (Their About Us page is rather vague) Bank Transfer Day a Resounding Success for Move Your Money Movement. He give a few stats and offers his own editorial on how he moved from Bank of America to a credit union.

There are some interesting Tweets at along the side about Bank of America charging $10 to close accounts, but that feels slightly rumorish to us here. Now it could be true, with the increase of fees, who knows what's being charged when and to whom. But the overall message is still a positive one:

By changing your bank, you save money and the money your local bank/local credit union generates stays within the community.

I don’t know that this will hurt banks. As Zach Carter and Ryan Grim point out, accounts with low balances actually cost the big banks money to manage them, so moving those accounts out saves them a bit of money. I’m not sure I totally buy that, as banks still need working capital and they lose out on a suite of fees, many of which are targeted at customers with low balances. But it’s possible.

Change your bank day

Today is the (moderately) publicized Change Your Bank Day pushed by Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. Why? Big banks and their ever increasing fees. Sure, the little guy (we, the consumer) no longer have to potentially shell out $3-5/month for the use of a debit card to take out money that we earned from our own bank accounts, but that isn't the point of this movement.

OccupyMainSt has read a lot of articles about this and only one really stood out as an interview to share. Strangely enough, it comes from Bankrate.com's Banking Blog. Nope, we don't understand it either, but upon further review, Bankrate.com is a comparison site. Makes a little more sense now.

In the Angry Bank Clients to Switch Nov. 5 post, you can read an interview wtih Kristin Christian who started the movement:

There's a bank protest afoot that doesn't involve camping, picketing or being gawked at by the national media. It's called "Bank Transfer Day," and it's a social-media driven movement started by art gallery owner Kristin Christian. It aims to convince bank customers angered by new fees to move their money en masse to small banks or credit unions on Nov. 5.

The movement has largely been orchestrated through Facebook, where the page has nearly 24,000 likes and numerous comments left by supporters and critics alike. Christian herself has been careful to keep the movement nonpartisan and distance it from the Occupy Wall Street protests happening in metro areas all over the country.

Read the comments that follow. They're more interesting than the normal comments on a new article.

Do you plan to switch?

To be fair, not all big banks are the Big Bad Wolf. But we can't find anyone who belongs to one of those. Then again, with the rate of takeovers and mergers, will there be any local banks/credit unions left?

Restaurants

Food Network Has it the Right Idea

OK, admit it. You’ve watched from time to time. Food Network is a guilty pleasure of a lot of people. But what, exactly, does Food Network have to do with Occupying Main Street?

Consider the shows you may have watched: “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” “Restaurant Impossible,” “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” Pretty much any show you watch during the evening highlights great restaurants, pubs, taverns, diners, eateries, drive-ins, holes-in-the-wall - think back though, how many episodes do you remember that featured something like a TGIFridays?

Now, I’m not saying I don’t enjoy a plateful of Jack Daniels Ribs, but the fact is, that’s not going to make the cut at Food Network. And imagine getting your restaurant featured on Food Network as a small business; it’s probably the best advertising you can get. And Food Network does an awesome job of finding both the expensive and haughty eateries, and the $5/plate blue-plate special diners. And - they’re almost all on Main Street U.S.A.

During an episode of DDD, you’ll be taken down some local road to some small little local joint that the regulars loved so much they’ve sent the info to Guy Fieri. Not to a chain restaurant, not to a fast-food joint, to a little spot tucked away that only the locals know about (for now). You’ll probably visit the kitchen with Guy, meet the owners, meet the cooks, and meet the locals who frequent the establishment. If that doesn’t give you the warm and fuzzies for Main Street, I don’t know what will.

Even the more “educational” shows such as Good Eats expound upon the importance of getting to know your local fishmonger or butcher, or the glee of finding a local produce such as peaches at the height of their perfect ripeness. It’s all good advice. And it fits perfectly with the goal of this page - shop locally. Whether it’s a butcher, a local farmer’s market or a local restaurant - it’s an easy change to make to start to shift your focus away from giant box stores and corporate-run cookie-cutter restaurants.

And it will help keep your money local, and your neighbors employed.

Why food matters

Not all of us can grow all our own food with enough left over to barter for what we can't grow and have enough to sell to sustain our other needs. Not all of us=not many of us.

What we can do is buy from farmer's markets. We can support the local section in our grocery store or even switch from a big grocery store to a smaller one who buys the majority of its produce (or other items such as pasta, meat, dairy, etc) locally.

It truly does start with one step.

Gathering information

It's not easy, but the goal here isn't only to show why promoting local business or made in America businesses. It's to help people find those businesses.

If you notice at the top there are 2 additional tabs: Pet food and Cookware. Both tabs currently have only one product beneath them but they'll be more. More we use and approve of, more you suggest.

So suggest! Have a favorite local business? Want to let everyone know? Share it!

Every Little Bit Helps

Or Don't Do Nothing Because You Can't Do Everything!

Changing the way we shop as a nation won’t be easy.  It will take a commitment of time.  It may take more planning than we’re used to doing.  And most importantly, we will need to change our entire attitude toward shopping.  None of those things will be easy.

So, as the experts say, take it one day at a time.  One item at a time.  Make a small commitment, something you can do without changing your life too much.  Pick ONE item you need, and see if you can find it locally instead of hitting the box store.

Did you know Ace Hardware and True Value locations are franchises - not box stores - and as such are small businesses?  Bet you can find one around you.   Or even better, if you use your Googling skills, I bet you could find an independently owned hardware store somewhere.  Or butcher.  Or fish market.  Or liquor store.  Or, well, you get the idea.

In the search box type in what you want to find and your zip code to narrow the search. For instance, if you live in the Frankford section of Philadelphia try: Ace Hardware 19134. Now sometimes this won’t work depending on distance between you and the store so play around with it-go to Acehardware.com and then click on the link to find a store.

Maybe something as simple as eating at a local restaurant instead of a chain for your next night out.  Think about where your favorite eatery or pub is - is it a cookie-cutter chain, or is it a small local spot that only you and a few friends know about?  Head on over, and keep your money local.

Maybe it’s not even shopping - maybe it’s spreading the word about a local business you know to be good.  Give your friends - in person or online - the heads up to check that local business out next time they need something.  Local businesses LIVE OR DIE on word-of-mouth advertising, and a positive word can be the equivalent of hundreds of dollars of precious advertising expenses.

Taking each day and buying local wherever you can, will help bring about this change in America.  Nothing happens overnight, but if everyone makes at least one change, it WILL happen.

What this is all about

Occupy MAIN Street and help create REAL change. Bills can't create jobs. Bring jobs back to America. Bring America back to Main Street.

Everyone is feeling the same frustration - the system is rigged, there's no opportunity, there's no jobs, there's no money. But everyone is so busy blaming everyone - rich people, poor people, politicians, corporations, lobbyists - no one is willing to look in the mirror.

WE the consumers, WE the Americans have the power to bring opportunity back to America. But we have to create our own prosperity. And that means helping each other to prosper.

Step one - SHOP DOWNTOWN. Downtowns all over America are disappearing in favor of giant box stores (full of stuff that violates Step two). Local businesses, small businesses, used to be the backbone of America. They create jobs, they pay taxes, they contribute to the communities. How many downtown events are sponsored by WalMart? Are the prices higher? Yes. Small businesses can't compete with box stores because they don't have the buying power. But consider your dollars to be your VOTES, and vote local.

Step two - STOP MAKING BUYING CHOICES ON PRICE ALONE. The market is stacked against American products in the price war, because we allow inequity in our trade agreements with other countries, especially China. Spend a few extra dollars on an AMERICAN product, and help keep AMERICANS employed.

Step three - DITCH YOUR BIG BANK AND FIND A LOCAL ONE. Yes, it's difficult, yes, it's a pain but it shows support, trust, and that you care what you do with your money. Small banks sponsor local events and have a vested interest in improving the local community. Small banks have management that you can actually have a conversation with (relative to big banks at least). Are there fewer ATMs? Probably. A little planning and you're all set. Totally worth it to not be associated with the large banks that have been bailed out and are treating people like dirt.

Step four - STOP WHINING AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Occupying Wall Street is interesting as an idea, but so far all it's doing is creating "awareness," primarily that people are pissed off, and about a lot of things. More productive would be to put your MONEY where your MOUTH is, and VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLAR.

Make this Christmas an American Christmas. Make the Christmas colors Red, White and Blue.