Do you shop local?

[Fancy]

I've been under the assumption that to shop local means supporting one's community - not another.

[chrisn1]

I shop local
And I do because I would rather put Money in the pockets of the Local people running these stores rather than into the pockets of big Corporations .

I appreciate the higher level of Customer service from Owner Operators ( Which is often the case with local stores )
Local Owner Operators are for the most part involved with the community is a positive way

[V-Rated]

This topic was brought up the other day with some acquaintances. One told me her hubby just went and bought a truck in Spokane (dealership) another was complimented on her outfit and said she does all her shopping at Walmart in Colville. I commented that I owned a business at one time and still strongly believe in shopping local.
They instantly went on to overcompensate on how they shop local.

Buying things elsewhere and going to the local theatre on cheap Tuesdays is NOT supporting local people!
*sigh* I feel better now.

~V~

[the truth]

I am all for shopping local but come on last week I got an item on ebay new for $625.00 same item here was going for $1455.00. I mean come on-REALLY-

[Barney Google]

This was my post from the Chilliwack Corn Barn thread...when the conversation turned to buying local...


Re: Chilliwack Corn Barns

Postby Barney Google » Aug 3rd, 2015, 12:49 pm

As a 'local' producer and advocate my idea of local is this...1st choice - Kelowna (cause that's the closest town), 2nd - Central Okanagan, 3rd - Okanagan , 4th - Interior, 5th - southern BC, 6th - BC, 7th - BC/Alberta, 8th - Western Canada, 9th - Canada, 10th - PNW, 11th - North American...etc...you get the idea. When I buy I try to purchase as close to the 1st choice
as possible. I avoid buying imported foods as much as possible. For instance...it is VERY rare for there to ever be bananas here. IF we buy oranges they come from the States. An exception is made during Xmas when we enjoy a box of Mandarins but now we can get those even from the US. We do a lot of our own canning and preserving but if we treat ourselves during the off season we again try to buy from producers as close to our local as we can.

One thing we are pretty adamant about, and we are unanimous in this, we do NOT eat any meat products that do not come from Canada...EVER! If we do indulge in libations, we only drink BC Wines and only Canadian alcohol. Good thing Canada and more importantly BC has so much to offer in both of those departments.

I understand that it is expensive at times to do this and sure understand anyone who has to really watch their pennies - which we do too. Where we save in other ways we choose to 'splurge' in others. I do think though that some folks might not realize that there are alternatives to buying fresh local products from the local fruit stands and grocers that offer local foods. I have found that most of the local fruit stands are not geared towards us locals. They are after tourists and folks from out of town. If you look on Castanet or in the local newspapers or even just driving around in the country you can find produce for a fraction of what it might be offered more 'commercially'. Something else to consider is to check out the 'pick your own produce places'...the kids will get a whole new appreciation for the fruits they heartily gobble down if they have to pick them themselves.

These comments were in regards to things that are produced or made locally not so much things that are sold here but not grown or manufactured here...like computers or vehicles...etc... If a good or GREAT deal comes along - ain't no fool (well not all the time) if I'm in need/want - I go for that good/GREAT deal - be a fool not too.

[Queen K]

I stopped by a local vegetable/garden market stand today. Can't for the life of me think of why I've never been there before.

Lots of their items were fairly priced, such as huge zucchinis for $3 each and tomatoes for 1.29/lb.

Mind you, I grow a lot of what they're selling but it's what don't have that was great to buy up.

[V-Rated]

I am all for shopping local but come on last week I got an item on ebay new for $625.00 same item here was going for $1455.00. I mean come on-REALLY-

You lucked out!
But online shopping has their own risks too. A girl was ranting about this dress she bought online and it was not what she thought it was going to be and vented about what a scam it is, how expensive it is to exchange and send back... All the while I thought, that wouldn't have happened if she shopped local. Granted she might not have bought the dress she wanted locally, but she obviously didn't online either.
~V~

[Woodenhead]

I tend to get grollies at StupidStore, but I don't buy much. (last week's bill was ~$35) For everything else, I tend to buy online. That's local - I'm shopping from my living room! lol The reason I tend to buy most things I want online is because, more often than not, I cannot find said items anywhere in town. (very specific clothing items and backpacking gear being my most recent examples) Stores here don't carry a very wide range of stock, or (even worse) the stock they list online is outdated and not reflective of what's actually in the store, IME.

[Always Sunny]

I stopped by a local vegetable/garden market stand today. Can't for the life of me think of why I've never been there before.

Lots of their items were fairly priced, such as huge zucchinis for $3 each and tomatoes for 1.29/lb.

Mind you, I grow a lot of what they're selling but it's what don't have that was great to buy up.

Try the Penticton farmers market. I bought zucchinis in sizes I didn't even know they could come in for $1 a piece. It was pretty impressive.

[Queen K]

I grow my own zucchinis. We're making fritters out of them tonight in fact.

I published the zuke prices for people who didn't have any luck with them this year. That was me last year, but not now.

What I want now is a ketchup recipe for homemade ketchup. I'm sick of the high GMO/Corn frutose in Heinz.

I make my own HP sauce so I figure why not ketchup?

[the truth]

v-rated I did not luck out on ebay, I only buy from people-with 100 percent feed back

[Not Bob]

v-rated I did not luck out on ebay, I only buy from people-with 100 percent feed back

Usually Amazon is as good ebay and you avoid the iffy sellers.

[Bsuds]

I have been buying some stuff on AliExpress at amazing prices. For example I ordered 8 Keurig reusable filters for less than $20 US. Thats 8 for the price of 1 here and that includes shipping.

[V-Rated]

That's local - I'm shopping from my living room!.

hahaha... I love it! Now how can ya argue that one?! *laffing*
~V~

[Clipper]

Being on a fixed income I shop where I can find a decent price and quality; period. If that means Amazon.com or Ebay.com that suits me fine as long as I don't get stiffed too bad for freight. The exchange rate I can live with if I have to.

If I do decide to buy local I check retail prices in Vancouver because I've been gouged an additional 15% PLUS freight if an item had to be ordered.

I find a lot of businesses in the valley have the attitude that "if we don't have it, you don't need it"; even if they proclaim to be dealers for what I'm looking for. I don't really enjoy a 200 KM trip to "the big city" Kelowna to get blank stares from retail staff either; or paying $18.00 for 4 sheets of 1000 grit paper.
BUT, the 3/4 HP TEFC Baldor motor from Amazon for $100.00 recently takes some of the sting off; $400 + here "locally"

Right now gas is $.14 cheaper across the line so I'll be going down for fuel,lathe tools, and shoes my SO ordered. I should have ordered the paper too I suppose.

One thing I do though is support local Unions if at all possible; simply because I know some of the extra dollars are going to someone's wages.