I really miss heading out the door on a Saturday morning and going shopping in a real store. I know it's totally normcore of me, but Target is kind of my jam. I grab my coffee and cruise around the store with a list of some items I actually do need, like paper towels and shampoo, knowing full well that I'll spend over an hour shopping for things I don't need. Sometimes I head to local businesses, but Target is the place that has everything I need and fits within my budget. It's a simple joy, and I don't really feel bad about it.
I start in the clothing aisle, where I find shirts with logos and images from nostalgic '90s TV shows. Sometimes I stop off in the kids section to see if there's something my son or daughter would look cute in. Then, it's home decor all the way. Throw pillows, candles, a new set of sheets — that's the great thing about Target shopping; there's always something to find that will make my house look a little refreshed.
Eventually, I get to the stuff I need and pick up a few groceries before I head for the door. You really can't beat the convenience factor. Getting everything you need while shopping cute styles all at once is mom heaven.
While I miss my weekend ritual, my bank account doesn't. And honestly, the truth about my shopping habit is that while it feels harmless, I'm not doing a great job of supporting small businesses that really rely on my money in order to survive. That's never been more in focus than it is right now, because while I still love the big stores, they'll survive. The small mom-and-pop shops very well may not.
Thankfully, it's not that hard to throw my money at some small businesses, especially because I have time right now to really put thought into what I need and who I want to support. With the collective slowing down of just about everything, the upside of that is that I'm not in a hurry to do all my shopping at once.
Actually, I probably never was. I just felt a sense of urgency that seems to have evaporated these days. Like, if my food delivery doesn't come today, we can survive on peanut butter and jelly, and it will really be all right. There are a lot more pressing matters right now than my family's dinner menu.
Social media makes shopping locally online easy. People are constantly posting calls for action online for their own stores in my community or asking people to direct funds at the small businesses owned by friends and family. To not see it, you'd have to deliberately turn the other cheek.
The posts are helpful to me because I can see who needs help and then buy from them instead of a store that probably doesn't. Right now, if I can get my bread from a good friend who is currently out of work and baking bread from his home, instead of lumping it in my Instacart order, believe me, I'm gonna. It may cost a couple of dollars more, but chances are, it's going to taste better and the money will go further. Also, he delivers.
It's a small act that actually has big impacts. Because when you think about it, if people were always so thoughtful about where they put their money all the time, the world would look very different from an economic standpoint. Small businesses would thrive if people routinely chose quality over ease. When we give our money to small businesses, they give us so much back. They shape our community, and we, as consumers, get to be a part of that. That's really what conscious shopping is about.
Not getting everything in one place can hardly be called an inconvenience anymore anyway. I don't have to leave the house to get most of what I need. There are tons of small businesses that are run solely online and don't even have physical stores. To get my bread, for example, I private-message my friend on Instagram, and it arrives safely in a day or so. Likewise, I can place an online order at a local ice cream shop that, during regular times, usually has a line out the door. Just about anything I want or need can be purchased with a few clicks.
Still, I've bought things from big stores online in recent weeks, and I still will once this is all over. I'll anxiously await the day when I can Saturday-shop till I drop in the real, live store. But I'm also enjoying so many things about supporting my local businesses more than ever before. From feeling good about my sushi order from the local family-run restaurant around the corner to grabbing a curbside pickup beer order from my local brewery, as a consumer, I've never been more in tune with the value of my purchases. Especially because people these days are quick to give you a heartfelt "thank you" for shopping.
Likewise, there are so many local businesses in my neighborhood that need my support — more than I can possibly throw my money at. Not all of them will survive. I know that, and so do they. It's a harsh reality that's going to change a lot of people's lives.
So right now, I'm doing what I can to be as conscious as possible with my money, which is as good for me as it is for small businesses. Because I'm not out weekend-shopping or going to restaurants, I'm probably spending less money than ever, even though I'm shopping online more.
But I'm also doing it with the knowledge that my money matters and that too many businesses will disappear if I don't do my part. I don't really want that on my conscience. I also just really want certain places to be around from a totally selfish standpoint, because they make my community a more enjoyable place.
As consumers, we have a huge role to play in what our world looks like a few months from now. I, for one, want to see the familiar faces of my community members getting back to work. So whether it means ordering carry-out from my favorite places or getting my soap from an Etsy shop run by a hardworking mom, I'm making sure my purchases really matter.
There are a lot of things we don't get to do right now. There are a lot of things that are out of our control. One thing we do get to do is to be conscious about where we shop with the knowledge that with our collective efforts, we can make a difference.
