Put Your Money Where Your Values Are: Holiday Shopping
Put Your Money Where Your Values Are: Holiday Shopping With Purpose
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Money talks. It tells a story and how you spend your money tells the story about what matters to you. This is a concept that consumers are becoming more and more aware of. One study reported on Forbes found that 88 percent of shoppers want the brands they shop to help them be more environmentally friendly and ethical. Further research reported in Harvard Business Review shows that 65 percent of shoppers want to buy from “purpose-driven” brands.
The holidays are a time when dollars are flowing and they’re a good opportunity to be conscious about where you spend yours. While you whip out your credit cards throughout this month, MADAMENOIRE will be creating a weekly series on using your money for good. Starting with holiday gift shopping, here are ways to put your money where your values are.
Buy From Your Community
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You have friends, family members, and neighbors who make and sell stuff. Some make jewelry, some make baby clothes, some make baked goods, some give massages. Buy from your community. If you want to support your small business-owning friends, do so with your dollars. Instead of picking up a bag of coffee from a major retailer, grab a small batch blend from a friend with a small coffee business. For every category you want to shop, you likely know someone in your community who is competing with the big brands. Be their customer this holiday season. And while you’re at it, shop at the small businesses in your neighborhood. They add life and vibrancy to your community and they need customers like you to keep them going.
Shop Brands That Give Back
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Do some research on the brands that you like. Find out if any are purpose-driven and what their purpose is. Look for brands that donate a portion of their proceeds to a cause that’s close to your heart or who donates their products to philanthropic causes. Some brands exist to make the CEOs as wealthy as possible, but then there are those special brands who focus on creating wealth so they can share it with those in need. Shop those brands this holiday season.
Visit Your Church’s Christmas Market
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If you are a member of a church, see if they are hosting a holiday market. Many churches do, and they feature local vendors – including members of the church – selling handmade, small-batch products. In some cases, a portion of the sales go directly to the church, making this a beautiful way to put your dollars where your beliefs are.
Donate Your Cashback
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You’ll accumulate a lot of cashback this time of year if you shop with credit cards. When it’s time to cash in on it, rather than deposit the cash to your bank account or apply it to your statement, donate it. Some credit card companies will increase the value of your points when you donate them or even match your donation.
Shop Amazon Smile
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If you plan on doing a lot of your holiday shopping on Amazon, don’t forget to go to Amazon Smile instead, and update the charity of your choosing. You will get all of the same product choices and pricing on Amazon Smile as you do on Amazon, but 0.5 percent of every purchase will go to your selected charity.
Shop Sustainable Brands
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Explore the practices and ethics of the brands that you shop. If shopping green is important to you, look for brands that don the Certified B certification. Brands with this symbol are held to the highest standards of environmental and social ethics and often are dedicated to both eco-friendly and socially conscious practices. Look for USDA Organic and Non-GMO food and beverage products to be kind to the planet. Find certified Fair Trade goods to promote the development of small economies.
Shop At Charity-Based Thrift Stores
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There’s nothing wrong with buying a second-hand gift. Thrift stores are great places to pick up high-end jewelry, artwork and furniture for discount prices. You can often find barely used or even never-used products at great prices, and you’ll know that your dollars are going directly to the associated charity organization.
Reduce Travel – Yours And Your Purchases
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Be conscious of your carbon footprint when holiday shopping. This can mean walking to the shops instead of driving. If you must drive, it can mean doing all of your shopping at one mall or plaza to minimize time on the road. Shopping small also means you don’t contribute to the carbon emissions of products that are flown across country or overseas.
