Doesn't Buying Local Cost More?

Not if you are a careful shopper. To begin with, so-called discount stores often sell goods of lower quality. A t-shirt costing $5 at a superstore that last six months is more expensive than a $7 shirt that lasts a year or more.

Local retailers also usually have more knowledgeable sales people to assure that you get just the items you need, rather than a lot of stuff you don't need.

Studies show that people end up spending far more than they intend to at mega-stores, and that only a small percentage of those purchases are actual discounts.

Large discount stores and online shopping comes with a whole lot of unrecognized costs. Taxpayers end up paying for the environmental and human damage done by transnational retailers who treat the earth and their employees badly.

The more you shop locally, the more you bring down costs for local business folks, and the more you send a message to global retailers that they need to clean up their act if they want your business.