how many of you try to buy locally?

[Shaolin]

I do the best I can to buy locally. I live in a small farm town, so over the summer it's much easier because of the Farmer/Amish markets that are everywhere from May-October. I would love to buy pet food at the local feed shops, but they don't have any decent food, so I go to PetCo. I've started building relationships with the local butcher. It doesn't hurt that Finn is usually with me, so it's not uncommon for me to leave with my meat and he leaves with a tasty bone or a smoked pig ear.

I'll also go to the local "pet boutique" because they have a better selection of new and unique treats for something a little different for the pup.

[huntergreen]

i always try to buy locally. doesn't always work out. i also try to buy "made in the usa", almost impossible to do any more.

[marksteven]

Originally Posted by Liesje

I shop at the original Meijer store (and call it "Meijers" if that makes sense to anyone else here), does that count? For pet supplies, I buy everything at my local Chow Hound branch unless it's a product they don't carry. They know all my dogs by name (and what they eat). When we go out to eat we are trying to use local places, though we are going out a lot less. My husband also gets most of our groceries from the market at the end of our street.

It looks like Meijer is coming to wisconsin. They are opening a Distribution center in pleasant Praire (old super value whse) I hope they open a store in my area. As another member posted
I stay CLEAR from Wal-Mart. I do shop everywhere else including
Amazon & Ebay.

[LifeofRiley]

I try to buy from the small businesses in my neighborhood as much as possible.

For example, I would say that 95% of my Christmas shopping was done at small businesses in walking distance from my house. Additionally, ~80% of the times we go out to eat, it is at restaurants in my neighborhood - I am lucky that I have great restaurants nearby. Finally, I am a member of a local grocery co-op and have a great mom & pop corner store, both of which I shop at frequently.

I am a big believer in supporting your neighborhood (non-chain) businesses whenever possible and will even pay a little bit more for some items to do so.

[ksotto333]

I read an article that if everyone spent at least 50.00 per month on locally owned businesses, it would make a big difference in the local economy. I've been doing that for the last 14 months, whether it's a restaurant or locally owned store. At Christmas I definitely go well over that mark.

[BowWowMeow]

I prefer to invest my money in the the local/regional community whenever possible. I don't buy from Walmart, Amazon, Target, etc. I buy most of my food at the food co-op or from farmer's markets, if possible. Sometimes I get a share from a local organic farm.

If I do have to buy something online I usually try to buy it from a small business.

I buy my animals' food and supplies from three different small, locally owned stores.

We have a good local appliance store here with competitive prices so that makes that easy too.

[m1953]

I am more concerned with buying products made in the USA than whether it is local or not.

[Liesje]

Originally Posted by marksteven

It looks like Meijer is coming to wisconsin. They are opening a Distribution center in pleasant Praire (old super value whse) I hope they open a store in my area. As another member posted
I stay CLEAR from Wal-Mart. I do shop everywhere else including
Amazon & Ebay.

Meijer is so popular here I'd past 6 different Meijers before I found a Walmart. I don't think I've been to Walmart in years. I've never had a membership to Sam's or Costo so those are out, but admittedly I'm addicted to Target.

My mom volunteers at this place called New 2 You which is like Goodwill - people donate stuff and they sell it - but for the local Christian schools association. Somehow she found one of the real leather saddles off the original Meijer store's Penny Pony!

[jocoyn]

One thing I *AM* doing this year is doing Community Supported Agriculture and most places have it! You can contract with a local farmer for a share of his crop. The ones we have found are organic.

We are buying local milk, non homogenized and with the lowest pasteurization, Local grass fed meats - though looking into organic chicken (which is expensive because all the feed corn is GMO).

And, yes, I do spend extra to buy "made in the USA".

[onyx'girl]

When I was about 7 or 8 Meijer use to have their carts numbered. They were doing some promo's when we were shopping, and if they called your cart # you won something. I won a purple and white Huffy stingray! The only time I've ever won anything(besides raffles)

One thing I *AM* doing this year is doing Community Supported Agriculture and most places have it! You can contract with a local farmer for a share of his crop. The ones we have found are organic.

We have this as well. The co-ops are really getting popular and are much healthier even if the cost and convenience isn't as easy.