If money is power, then shopping is voting. Shopping is ultimately a political act. What you buy and who you buy it from is a transfer of power. You vote with your wallet and your dollars are your ballot. Shop wisely and deliberately.
Let’s all start playing the game by our rules. It’s our money so let’s invest it on our terms supporting those who support us. Shop local and support small businesses.
DEI has become a flashpoint now that Musk, Trump, and the Billionaire Boys Club are shifting the economy towards their pockets. A small group of tech oligarchs are trying to run the world for themselves by themselves. You and me? We’re just the chips on the table as the play their game.
If you’re upset when companies toss DEI initiative aside just to align themselves with Donald Musk and Elon Trump don’t shop there. When sales go down, so will their stock price. So focus on the companies that haven’t eliminated their pledge toward diversity, equity, and inclusion and reward them with your patronage. A positive action, no fuss, no muss.
Let’s step away from today’s headlines and revist some fundamentals. Cash is King. It’s universal. In today’s increasingly digital world our cash transactions don&rsqu;t necessarily leave a paper trail. Never assume your neighborhood ATM is online and working. Stash cash both big bills and small (in order to make change).
Barter is good for so many reasons. It conserves cash and it builds relationships between both parties. Remember: a successful barter is when both parties walk away thinking that they got the best deal. Barter can sidestep taxes.
Credit unions are better than banks. The former is a cooperative, the latter all too often Big Business. Guess which one cares about you. Credit unions are member owned, often around a group with shared interests or affiliations and theye’re often geographically clustered.
Tip I’ve found that tipping with a two dollar bill often results in more than $2 worth of good will. Get new crisp ones from your credit union (or bank), tuck one in your wallet for that special occasion.