Shop Small

     Today is Small Business Saturday.  As someone who likes a bargain, the big box stores can be tempting.  I used to shop the malls for all my holiday gifts.  Then, I had my own children and not only was it torture for me to drag the little ones through the mall, but then you have to hide everything from them so it is a surprise.  Between lines to get into the parking lot and crowds to navigate through and the overheating in my winter jacket while shopping it just seems like so much work.  Before you mark me down as an awful Scrooge, I have a solution to my holiday shopping cynicism.
    Shop your local stores.  Who doesn't want to save on gas money by not traveling "over the river" to get to the mall metropolis?  Small stores appreciate business so are more apt to have that old-fashioned notion of customer service.  For those of you unfamiliar with this term, let me define it.  It involves a human being offering assistance in some form.  Smaller stores are easier to make a quick trip since there aren't 6 million items to walk through to get to the one you are looking to buy.  This is apt to save me money as well.  If there is less to look at and less time spent shopping, there is less to bring home.
   Smaller stores are more convenient for me.  I can be in and out of the store instead of having an all day excursion.  Knowing that I am keeping a local family employed is rewarding as well. Plus, there are some unique items in those little stores that aren't a repeat of every store in the mall.  Of course, I'm saving my most important resource as well, my time, energy and sanity!