more thoughts on saving money and shopping local

I was speaking to a friend this morning about shopping locally. We were talking about how the term has so many meanings. It's become one of those slightly irritating catch phrases, used so often that it has almost no meaning at all. I explored it a bit here last week but I have a few things to add.
The are both side benefits of shopping locally and side benefits of shopping cheaply. I think it's important to note a few.
When you buy products in your town, the business owner gives some of your sales tax to your town. They employ people who live in your town, they probably donate to the soccer teams in your town and donate gift certificates to charity events in your town. Plus, you save gas and time staying closer to home.

When you leave town in order to shop with the big boys, you save money and often time, getting everything you need in one huge building. The money savings is important in our household. It allows us to live in this very expensive community. It allows me to work a only few nights a week as a waitress so that the boy doesn't have to go to day care. Saving money means that when the girls scouts come by I can donate some money. When the bloodbank calls, I do have time to give them some of my blood. When the elementary school needs volunteers, I am available. Saving money allows me to be a better parent and be a larger part of my community.

It's a tricky balance. I'm looking forward to the day when we will be judged less for the seemingly little choices we make. I think every decision has so much more thought behind it than most people assume. Nothing is as simple as it seems and each of us makes the choices that allow us to live in whatever fashion we think is right for us, our family, our community.