Everyone is concerned about our economy. Fiscal cliffs and what-have-you.

The easiest and best way for all of us to do something RIGHT NOW to help is to support small businesses.

That’s right. Forget the big box stores and the corporate greed, and go local and go small.

When you support small businesses, you put money back in the pockets of the middle class. When you spend $100 at small, local businesses in your community, $68 of that stays in the community.

If you shift a minimum of 10% of your purchases made in the chain stores to local businesses, you help create jobs.

Today is national Small Business Saturday, created by American Express in 2010, to put money back into small businesses and communities.

According to the American Express website:

It began in 2010 when American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help small businesses get more exposure during one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Last year, over 100 million people came out to shop at independently-owned small businesses on the day. Now, in its third year, Small Business Saturday will be even bigger.

Of course, American Express being a large company (yes, I see the irony in this), they want you to use their card when you shop, but they at least give you an incentive.

If you enroll your Amex card, you can get a $25 statement credit for spending $25 in one small business. So basically they want you to give the money to a small business…on them. Learn more here.

So when you go out today be it for holiday shopping or just for a gallon of milk, ditch the Big Box stores and hit up a small business.

Not leaving the house today? Go online to an Etsy shop or other small business.

I did a post on my blog with a list to get you started if you need help knowing where to go.

And of course you shouldn’t just visit these shops today, but throughout the year.

However since today is Small Business Saturday, let’s all support at least one small business and help make a difference in the health of our local economies.



