Thoughts for the Holiday Shopping Season

This is the time of year when our family starts compiling wish lists to share, to ensure that we all get what we want for Christmas. Initially, I rejected this idea as completely missing the spirit of the season. I mean, if you don't know your family members well enough to buy them something appropriate (and be considerate enough to include a gift receipt just in case you are wrong), then why bother shopping for them at all? Let's all write each other checks and be done with it. After I got married, however, and admittedly didn't know the in-laws as well as my own family, I gave in. After all, I'm a list-maker who's happy to cross things off and feel a sense of accomplishment. Plus, the recipients seem to be happy (albeit, not surprised) with their loot.

Last year, we tightened the reins, after taking a guilt-ridden look around the living room at presents stacked five feet high, from wall to wall. We do not NEED all this stuff, and as much as I love to shop for my loved ones, it feels downright wrong to consume so much crap. I emailed all the family and set our limit at $50 per person. Everyone was agreeable and we're sticking to it again this year.

Multiply $50 times all those relatives and a few choice friends, and I'm still spending a nice chunk of change. So I got to thinking about where to spend my money (lists notwithstanding). With the "current economic conditions," it seems to me that WHERE we shop can really impact our region. Follow along with my rudimentary thinking and bring forth your commentary!

As an undergraduate business major, I was exposed to micro and macro economics. These classes made about as much sense to me at the time as government bailouts of private corporations make now (that would be: none). But one thing that Professor David Torregrossa said 20 years ago when asked about buying foreign cars versus American-made models really stuck in my craw. He dismissed the idea of buying from U.S. companies over their foreign competitors as small-minded and having exactly the opposite effect of what would seem to help American industry. Globalization was a wonderful thing and we should be buying worldwide goods with no regard for the impact on our manufacturers here at home: It was just not so simple, students, that buying our products would help our economy.

I don’t know about you, but for me, this was neither an explanation, nor a logical reality. How could it possibly hurt to buy American when you had a choice? Surely import tariffs were not offsetting the loss of American jobs. And, back then, virtually no one was considering the environmental impacts of long-range shipping, human rights violations or the unthinkably dangerous manufacturing practices going on abroad. Now that we know better and have seen more than enough jobs get shipped overseas, doesn’t it make sense to buy from people you know and like and want to succeed?

You can go to “W-mart” or “Tar-jay” and buy generic, mass things at a low price. Or, you can go to a mom-and-pop shop and choose from a smaller but carefully edited selection of goodies at fair prices. This economy is going to be very tough on the little guys, so it’s up to us as consumers to support those businesses we value. If we don’t, they will go under. Plain and simple. They don’t have any chance of a government bailout. Heck, they might not even get a bridge loan to stock up on inventory for the holidays. So try to spend some of your hard-earned dollars at our amazing local spots before you head out to the mega-stores. Our region would not be as rich without local shopkeepers and restauranteurs, who have one-on-one relationships with their customers and who often are active benefactors in our community.

Here’s another thing about buying at the big boxes: You tend to buy more than you intended. I mean, have you ever gotten out of Costco for under $100? It’s time we BUY LESS STUFF. Do we really need to have closets full of clothes we rarely wear? Do we really need to buy kids every expensive toy that comes along, when we know they will abandon it three days after they open it? Do we really need new towels, sheets, robes, rugs and bedding? Do you really need a manicure, a spray tan or more jewelry? When you really stop and think about all that you have, can’t you do without a few of these things?

Create a litmus test for yourself to help determine whether you’re filling a need or merely a want, then put the money you saved from each item you didn’t buy in a separate account (savings, money market, something like that) and watch it grow. Use it for a rainy day, like when you find out you have a family of bats in your attic (true story, and not cheap to remedy). Saving money is hard to do and totally underrated these days. Try it, though, and see if it doesn’t make you feel just as good as getting a new [insert your weakness here].

Believe me, this change in thinking is NOT easy for me, and it’s not even half as hard as changing the behavior. It’s like anything: Little actions every day add up. You mess up, you take stuff back. You don’t lose any sleep over it. I’ll be honest—I was pretty close to a shopping addict: It was a rush to feel I was saving money or getting a great deal when I shopped. Truth is, I can rationalize a “need” for almost anything, and buying stuff still can make me happy. But I’m trying to see the bigger picture. The one where I have money in the bank when retirement rolls around, or when I really need a vacation, or when it’s time to finally retire one of our cars or appliances and make a major purchase.

I plan to support local businesses by making responsible purchases of items that will serve our family for a long time, and perhaps even find a new use when we’re through with them. I plan on gifting people with certificates for massages, house cleaning and dinners at a favorite local establishment. I want to keep the good people running good businesses employed and feel good about my family’s financial future.

Are you with me, Central Pennsylvania?