The Friday Five Hop and 5 Reasons To Shop Small Biz for the Holidays

Welcome to the Friday Five hop!  We invite you to link up your Friday Five post with us below, but first, be sure to check out this week's Friday Five post by our State Rep Jenn!

I'm sure by now, holiday shopping is in full swing for most of you. Personally, I went a little nuts on the Black Friday deals, but I still have so many people to buy for! Is it just me, or does the list grow every year? It's crazy.

As we head into the weekend and we're all thinking about the gifts we still need to cross off our list, I wanted to encourage you to think about shopping Small Businesses when making your purchases. I'll be honest - it's still about 50/50 for me (I can't help it, Target I LOVE YOU!), but I've made a special effort to find meaningful gifts from Etsy, craft and vendor fairs, and local shops over the past few years.

Here's why you should give it a shot, too:

1. It Makes a Difference.
When you shop from a small business, you're supporting the owner directly. There may be some employees depending on the size of your chosen shop, but for the most part, you are supporting the very person that created the item you're purchasing (which is especially true of Etsy, Craft Vendors, and other online shops.) And chances are, there's not a whole lot of hidden mark up for the sake of waving sales in your face the way department stores do. You are paying for the materials used, the labor it took them to create it, and the shipping they were charged to send it to you. And that's probably it! That money will likely go to someone who really needs it, or that has a big, brave dream. I don't know about you, but those are the people I want to support!

2. This is Their Busy Season.
I have my own teeny-tiny Etsy shop, and holiday shopping accounts for 90% of my yearly sales. I have maybe 3-4 orders from January - September. And then they fly in for about 2.5 glorious months. Those sales end up covering the costs of materials, shop fees, shipping necessities, and everything else it costs me to run my shop all year. Any penny extra goes into Christmas gifts for my family. Your holiday shopping helps my family in a direct way, and I'm willing to bet that is the case for most shop owners out there!

3. Handmade is Art.
When you shop from a handmade business, you're purchasing art. Maybe you don't consider a crocheted scarf or a handcrafted card to be art (it's not something obvious like a painting, or a framed photo, after all). But guess what - it is. We are all capable of creating in different ways, and everything we create is our own personal art. My husband's art is brewing his own beer. My son's art is rainbow colored people with rectangle torsos. My mother-in-law's art is knitting sweaters for each of her Grandchildren, and my Dad's is cooking unique, gourmet food for his loved ones. Our creations are our personal art, and that makes anything we make the art of ourselves. Isn't that a beautiful thing to gift?

4. You'll Find Unique Ideas For the Person Who Has Everything.
I'm sure you have 1-2 people on your list every year (maybe more!) that already have everything or has the funds to go out and purchase something they want, whenever they want to. Those people are usually Grandparents, and they are SO HARD to shop for! My husband and I are always scratching our heads over his parents, and 9 times out of 10 we solve our problem by searching Etsy for something. And you know what? They LOVE it! They appreciate the special things you can't just run in and pick up at Target because they are few-of-a-kind and hold a special value that something mass-produced can't contain!

5. Small Biz Gifts Stand Out.
One sobering thought I have every year is how my kids end up losing or forgetting about some of the toys they HAD TO HAVE at Christmas by the time the next one rolls around. How many other items can you think of that the same sort of thing happens to? Almost everything I've purchased as a gift from Etsy is still a prominent feature in the homes of the recipient. Their uniqueness, and sometimes personalization depending on the item, makes them so important and special to whoever received them. I love that about shopping handmade! Maybe it's even just that your gift is new and different and exciting - but regardless, small biz gifts leave an impact!


If you don't know where to start, I'd love to share some of my favorite shops with you! Feel free to send me an email (at rychinlove(at)gmail.com) letting me know what sort of items you're looking for or who you need to find a gift for, and I will do my very best!

One good place to start? I made a gift giving guide this week that's peppered with some of my favorite small businesses (though Target & Amazon make an appearance, too), and maybe you can get some ideas from there.

Happy Shopping!

Jenn is a mom of 3 boys from Buffalo, NY. Find her blogging at Rych In Love where she writes about her family, crafts, goal setting, home decor, recipes, holidays, books, and MUCH more! Her shop, Love Forward, can be found on Etsy.

Thanks Jenn!  And now it's your turn!  Link up your Friday Five post below, and be sure to visit a few others in the hop and leave them a comment!

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Five Reasons to Support Small Business Saturday!

I have always been a fan of Small Business Saturday. Since it has had a rise in the past few years and Black Friday is getting a worse and worse reputation as it takes over Thanksgiving as well, I wanted to talk about how different these two "holidays" really are. So while the craze of getting all your shopping done and getting great deals is what brings these two shopping days into the same weekend, here are five reasons why Small Business Saturday is the "holiday" you should be supporting more!

via

1. Supports your local economy.
By spending your money in a small business, that money is more likely to stay and circulate in your own community. Buy from one local business and your helping that person buy from another local business and, probably more importantly, they are able to hire and give jobs to other locals. This is a win-win-win.

2. Family-owned businesses help families grow.
My dad owns his own business and I know that because of his hard work, my brother and I were able to take dance and karate lessons, join sports teams, learn how to play instruments. So just like #1, because people paid my dad, he was able to put that money back into the community through my dance studio and our music teachers, and that allowed my brother and I to have a great childhood. So when you buy local goods, you're not just getting a product or service in return, you're also allowing people to full fill their dreams and giving their family a life.

3. Shopping local saves you money.
This one might take some convincing, but honestly, after you factor in your time and gas money, how much did you really save by driving out to the mall or large chain store? While some products may be more expensive than you might think they should be, consider this, the person handing you the item was more than likely the one who made it. Large companies are able to make things "cheap" because they outsource the creation of their goods and we all know that's not always a great situation for the workers. However by buying local, the money you give for a product or service is going fairly and directly to the source.

4. Shopping local keeps more things local.
Salons, diners, restaurants, daycare, banks, theaters; the list goes on. These kind of industries only stick around if there are local shops to be around and support them in return. Without a way for a local economy to flourish, there is no reason for these other places to stick around.

5. Local shop owners appreciate you more than any big business ever will.
This is obvious, right? If you're active in your community, you more than likely know the owners of these shops anyway. They're your friends, go to you church, or your kids are in the same class. They will always consider you as a person and a valued customer, how many large companies will ever really do that? Local businesses live and die by word of mouth as their main source of advertisement. That usually means a higher level of customer service, more knowledgeable staff, and a higher level of appreciation for their customers because they know that they better they treat you, the more likely you are to come back. Something that not all large companies have been able to emulate.

So for the sake of your sanity, wallet, and community, get out there on Saturday and support the local businesses in your area! Where will you be shopping this Saturday?

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Guest Post: Thrifting is the New Shopping

Today Kim from Offbeat Meets Chic shares her secret shopping tips with us!

 Thrifting is the New Shopping!

Yea, I said it! Thrifting IS the new shopping!  Everywhere I turn, I hear someone talk about their thrifting adventures and all their dope vintage finds (oh wait, that’s usually me talking).  I mean, you can barely turn on your radio without hearing a song dedicated solely to poppin’ tags with only $20.  If that doesn’t sound like a fashionista’s dream, I don’t know what is!  It’s quickly becoming the new shopping craze, but all for a very good reason, as it allows you to expand and diversify your wardrobe without breaking your pockets!

However, some people are very timid when it comes to thrifting, mostly because they’re unsure about an approach.  Oh yea, you need an approach – don’t go in there all willy nilly!  Make sure you have a strategy or esle you’ll walk out of there with bags of clothes with no idea how to wear them!  Luckily for you, I’ve put together a few thrifting shopping tips to send you on your way...

Click here to check out Kim's thrifting tips video!

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Friday Five Hop and 5 Loyalty Programs!

Welcome to the Friday Five!  We invite you to write your own Friday Five post about anything you want and link it up with us below!  Just one stipulation: if you link up, it must be a Friday Five type of post!  Today's guest Friday Five post comes from Jamie of the blog Snap Ginger. 

Top 5 Loyalty Programs to Check Out:

1. Amazon Prime:

Topping the list is Amazon Prime. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know all about the benefits of being an Amazon Prime member. From the free 2-day shipping, the access to Prime Instant Video, Prime Music Playlists, the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, Kindle First and Prime Pantry (which I didn't even know was available to me), the $80 yearly fee more than pays for itself. I would pay that much for the shipping benefits alone, but shhhh don't tell Amazon that ;)

Here is some info on Prime Pantry, launched in April of this year, apparently I have been under a rock myself! 

Prime Pantry is an exclusive benefit for Prime Members. Prime Members pay a flat delivery fee of $5.99 per Prime Pantry box and Prime Pantry items are all shipped together.

Prime Pantry allows Prime Members to shop a wide range of items including heavy and bulky items in regular pack sizes that are cost prohibitive to ship for free.

There are coupons too!

2. Overtsock Club O:

Club O from Overstock rewards you for shopping on the Overstock site. You are credited from 5% cash back on every order, 5% on select restaurants and up to 40% on some items. You also receive Free Shipping (I am a major cheapskate when it comes to shipping fees) and the Overstock claims that the membership is risk free. They will make up the difference if the membership does not pay for itself in rewards. Right now if you sign up for $19.95 you receive $10 in rewards, so its really only $9.95 for the year. 

Don't forget to check out the Secret Overstock Deals Page (Thanks Deals.pl)

3. Zappos VIP:

I'm not sure if you're noticing a trend here, but I like my shipping free and I like it fast. For your money, you can't beat the Free Overnight Shipping from Zappos VIP. I was a member of this program when it first launched, so I have been grandfathered in free of charge. According to the FAQs, there is a waiting list, proceed to this page to sign up, or call the "special phone number" listed on the site. I am not sure the fee for the program now, but the customer service at Zappos, and again the speedy free shipping, will certainly make it worthwhile.

4. AMC Stubs:

I just recently signed up for AMC Stubs and I am a big fan already. The membership fee was $12 for the year, and that waives all online ticket fees when purchased on the AMC website. I've paid fees upwards of $3-5 in fees per purchase, so I will make that money back quickly. You are also given instant upgrades on concessions, so if you pay for a medium you can get a large. Lastly, you receive $10 in rewards for every $100 you spend at AMC, including tickets and concessions. With the prices at movie theatres these days, I'll be earning tons of rewards. Plus they recently upgraded our local AMC with the amazing comfy recliner chairs.

5. CVS Extra Care:

Last on the list is the Extra Care savings & rewards program. I can't say enough for the coupons, the Extrabucks Rewards Dollars, the free items, the Quarterly Extrabucks Rewards Dollars, the Beauty Club Rewards and the Pharmacy & Health Rewards. Well, maybe not that last one, as a NJ resident I am not eligible, and it is probably saving CVS a lot of money. If you fill 10 prescriptions, you earn $5 Extrabucks, and man does my family fill a lot of prescriptions. Thought I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Anyway, the Beauty Club awards you $5 Extrabucks for every $50 you spend on beauty. You also receive $3 Extrabucks on your birthday and receive a ton of very tempting and valuable coupons.

In addition to those perks, you receive 2% back in Extrabucks from your purchases, and your spending is also totaled up Quarterly and Extrabucks are rewarded based on that spend. I had a $19 total the other day and paid $1 for everything, the rest was Extrabucks. Sign up and start earning now!

Do you have a favorite loyalty club that everyone might be interested in?

Thanks for the great information Jamie!  Definitely worth looking into some of those programs!

And now it's your turn!  Do you have a Friday Five post to share with us?  Link up below!

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