Why do we bother?

I decided to start blogging because I am at a very critical point of my life. I just took up a BIG deal living 'the American Dream' or as someone told me the other day 'the American Nightmare' if you look at the LOCAL economy we seem to find ourselves in. I am asking anyone of fine grammatical skills reading this blog to please try to look past the mistakes and comment on them in 20 years time if I still have not improved. It is all a work in progress I can assure you.

So the point of blogging tonight is the conflict within my soul. I am on a journey of discovery at the moment. I am the owner of a LOCAL franchise company who promotes and advertises LOCAL small businesses. We aim to keep the money LOCAL strengthening the LOCAL Economy and in the process informing the public about the importance of shopping LOCAL especially now!

Now I can tell you with all my heart that I am ALL FOR LOCAL! It burdens me to see LOCAL small businesses suffer like this and I will do all in my power to help drive customers through their door! The only problem comes into educating myself, rewiring myself so to say.

I am ashamed to admit that I am your LOCAL victim of over exposure to Mass Media. When you say Pharmacy I say CVS. When you say stationary I say Staples.

Where I come from we pinch those pennies! Just getting through every month was utter agony! Things are VERY different back at home in South Africa and being able to maintain a tight budget is on everyone's agenda. Shopping LOCAL is a luxury you just can't afford. Surviving on a tight budget and being the frugalest of them all is an achievement where I come from! Working out a weekly feast of a menu on nothing is an ART!

So here I find myself having to change my habits myself. I have to say I really thought this would be easy! Come on! How difficult can it be, you just have to 'sniff' out those LOCAL businesses you used to drive by blindly! Ughhh! I am suffered from Walmart withdrawal symptoms after a week!

So where to draw the line. Yes I LOVE Stop & Shop’s Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies. I recycle ink cartridges at Staples so I get 'cash back'. Do I tear up my $15 'check'? Ughh! The agony!

I can tell you embarking upon this journey really has been eye opening! The guilt I feel is the worst I guess. Knowing that my frugal spending habits had a DIRECT impact on my community is not easy. On the other side I know I need to spend LOCAL so I spent a little here, a little there. I dare not spent all LOCAL cause honestly I cant afford it yet! I know the end product should be to spend all LOCAL but then would I be fanatic? Where to draw this line…

I guess this late at night all I can really think of is if my LOCAL Stop & Shop was more LOCAL 'friendly' selling LOCAL products....... if LOCAL small businesses could be more attractive with LOCAL deals I could tune in on....... if I could rewire my brain and be more aware of what I spend where........maybe all this would be worth it, returning me to the 'American Dream' we all signed up for!