The pandemic has threatened a lot of special places in our communities. We have the power to help them survive COVID-19 by financially supporting them as much as possible. More often than not, local businesses represent the communities they are located in. Here are a few ways to help local businesses anywhere you live:Â
- Coffee Shops
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These are financially difficult times, but if you can spare a few dollars, I would highly recommend finding a local coffee shop to spend money at. Don’t go to a chain. Go to shops that only have one or two stores open and buy gift cards to treat yourself in the future to drinks, food and more. Starbucks can afford a loss of customers, but small businesses can’t. Try to tip a little more than usual if you can spare extra money.Â
- Restaurants
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If the restaurant has gift cards, buy them! Don’t order from them through Uber Eats or other delivery services because they take a large portion of the profit. Instead, call to see if you can pick up the food yourself or if they have their own delivery service. Posting about them on social media and telling local friends and family to spend their money at these places also helps.Â
- Farmers
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If you don’t want to order food, you can order vegetable boxes to cook food with. My family orders vegetables boxes from local restaurants or farmers every week and we use it to cook our meals. Most boxes are around $20 and provide more vegetables than you can get shopping at the market. Plus, these boxes will most likely be organic and extremely high quality. Sometimes farmers also throw in “special” items fruits and vegetables you can’t find in a traditional store.
- Shops That Sell Any Goods Besides FoodÂ
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I’m not a fan of online shopping, but given that everything is closed, online shopping has become the only way to get goods. Once again, don’t shop at chains. If you don’t want to shop online, call your local businesses and ask if they are still selling. Local clothing stores, toy stores, flower shops, or bookstores may not be open, but they might have curbside pickup for your orders.
Even after quarantine is over, shopping at small businesses is a good habit to keep. You help unique businesses thrive while knowing that your products aren’t mass-produced.Â