Local Shopping for Local People

When you shop at a locally owned business that money stays in the community and those who run those companies stay in the neighborhood as well. Owners of local businesses want their communities to be strengthened because they are also part of the community. So the money they make will go back into the community and not to come big money-hungry national chain.

-Better customer service. When you go shopping at a local company you are treated like a member of the community, rather than just another customer. The owners are part of the community and they want to help create a sense of community, even in their business. You get treated better when you shop at a small, locally owned gift shop than you would at a big department store that has locations all over the world and is only focused on how much money they make.

-Variety: locally owned businesses offer a more unique blend of services. A local restaurant is more eclectic than a Mickey D's chain that offers the exact same things in each of its restaurants around the globe. A local book store offers books that are unique to your community and offers books from local authors as well as more well-known authors.

If you love your community and want it to blossom, choose to shop local. Explore the different local shops, enjoy the variety of local restaurants, and give your business to your neighbors rather than a business whose headquarters are somewhere across the country. Keep your money in your community.

Living in a golf resort community is fun, desert resort living in a gated golf community is a life of luxury. But did you know that many of these communities and the towns they are in allow you to drive your golf cart around on the streets? I remember not long ago when gasoline prices were approaching $4.50 and trending upward towards $5.00 per gallon many folks were looking for ways to save a little money. Yes, even in my high-class community.

Well, one way is to get yourself a moped for around town, yet many people feel they are inadequate to hold groceries and run errands and for the most part that is a concern. However, another option might be to get a golf cart, used golf carts start as low as $1500.00 - In Palm Desert, CA we have made Golf Carts street-legal here, the sidewalks around the communities are extra large and the bike lanes are too. This was one of the first California cities to allow them on the street with a nominal license fee to the city, it was a test project and a lot of research went into it in order to make sure it would be safe and it is. Other cities have modeled their plans around Palm Desert's strategy and it has worked well.

Still, there are reports of golf-cart injuries which have increased over the years, perhaps due to the number of golf clubs and thus golf carts produced. Golf carts can be dangerous suggests one recent study of course anything can be dangerous if it is not used properly.

What about saving Fuel?

Did you know that to fully charge a golf cart costs between $1.80 and $3.00 and that gives you an average of 20-30 miles around town.