JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Could you do it? Swear off big-chain stores to buy local for one month? A local man is giving it a shot.
"We're just doing a month long experiment to see what it would be like to just shop locally," Mike Field said.
By shopping local he means getting everything from groceries to gas. He says the concept behind his experiment is simple. He wants to make an investment in his community.
"When you shop locally, there's an enhanced economic premium that stays within our community," he said. He says he found studies which show $100 spent at a locally-owned business gives the local economy a return of $68, as opposed to $43 when the same amount is spent at a national chain.
"It's really about helping our community out," said Field. "And helping our small business owners out as well.
Local businesses, like Bold Bean Coffee in Riverside, are backing Mike's mission. Bold Bean operations manager Zack Barnett said, "When you support something local, it's saying that you stand behind the people who live in your community."
They say the benefits are more than financial. "If you like your community and you want to make it a better place, it's just an easy decision to make."
From a spending standpoint, Field believes he'll break even. While he says paper and other household items are a little more expensive at locally owned stores, he's saving money by getting most of his groceries at the farmer's market.
Field is blogging about his experience. Read it by visiting, http://jaxcashmob.blogspot.com/.
