Fair Trade
If you’re anything like me, you probably sometimes feel like the very few dollar bills in your possession are pretty precious. I’m always trying to find the best deal on whatever I buy – the best “bang for my buck.” Whether it’s food, clothing, or music, the cheaper way is always the preferred way.
But consider for a moment why some things are cheaper.
Some businesses ship manual labor jobs overseas in order to take advantage of lower wages. People around the world are devalued by being paid less than a livable wage in order for the business to cut a few costs. This is an injustice, but what can we do about it?
Well, we can think about buying “fair trade” items. This means the people who created the product received fair compensation. Check out Ten Thousand Villages to learn how they are practicing fair trade.
Do you have any fair trade retailers in your area? If so, have you ever purchased anything from them?
Farmer's Markets!
I LOVE going to local farmer's markets. Produce is incredibly cheap, mostly organic, and you know you're supporting local farmers. Where else can you find a huge bunch of fresh basil for $0.50?
Farmer's markets = Healthy food.
Farmer's markets are also great because of the combination of freshness, often organic growing practices, and the grocery bill. The fresher your veggies, i.e. the closer it was grown to your home, the more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients the food will maintain and pass along to the consumer. The organic practices often adhered to by local family farmers participating in these markets means that you don't pick up as many chemicals and artificial growth hormones as you do nutrients. And of course, good eats are always better when they are cheap eats! Take the $5.00 challenge - go to a farmer's market with only $5.00 and see just how many meals worth of side dishes you can come up with. I scored a solid WEEK worth once!