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Thomas Barwick/Getty Images November 10, 2022 Mariah Ackary is a personal finance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
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I’ve lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the last 20 years, and one thing that’s remained constant here is growth. Since 2010, Charlotte’s population has grown 16.3 percent, far outpacing North Carolina (9.5 percent) and the U.S. as a whole (7.4 percent), according to an by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. Many new businesses have cropped up in recent years — from sports apparel shops to boutiques to gourmet ice cream shops. But, while I’m a huge fan of many of the developments that have taken place to accommodate the city’s booming growth rate, it’s bittersweet. As exciting as a new brewery or corporate headquarters is, it’s hard to watch mom-and-pop businesses get shouldered aside, either closing entirely or relocating to more affordable areas of town, as rent increases price them out. It’s a complex issue, but my takeaway has been to make a point of supporting the small businesses I value. If you’ll be sad to see a favorite shop shut down, don’t wait until you hear they’re going out of business to visit. Show up — and bring your wallet. Small Business Saturday is one way I’m putting my money where my mouth is. Here’s how I’m going about it. How to shop on Small Business Saturday
This year, I’m shopping for my two siblings, three parents, my childhood best friend and my significant other. I’ll use a combination of , ensuring I get maximum cash back. I’m hoping to get the bulk of my shopping done on Saturday, and to aid this goal, I’ve planned ahead. Here’s how you can, too. Local Small Business Saturday events
Luckily, Charlotte has market pop-ups year-round. And a quick Google search of “Charlotte Small Business Saturday” revealed a decade-old tradition around this holiday. Several open-air markets take over popular, walkable areas on that Saturday every year, hosting more than 200 vendors in total. Sipping a coffee and walking through a market is one of my favorite Saturday morning activities, so I’ll certainly show up to the Small Business Saturday market with a tote bag ready. One of the markets, called , will be open in December as well, so I can do my shopping in waves if I need to. I recommend starting with a similar search for your city to find the largest events. Organize your own small business tour
If your city isn’t hosting anything specific for Small Business Saturday, that doesn’t mean you can’t participate. Lots of cities have general markets on Saturdays, which are convenient for holiday shopping because you can park once, and browse hundreds of types of merchants. Even if it’s, say, a farmer’s market, you might find good stocking stuffers or small gifts, like handmade soap, locally-roasted coffee or small-batch hot sauce. Another option is to make a list of your favorite local shops and dedicate a few hours to a shopping spree. If you need help brainstorming, American Express has a that you can plug your ZIP code into to find participating businesses. Of course, you don’t have to limit your shopping to businesses that show up on American Express’ map, but these may be more likely to host sales or promotions since they’ve registered with Amex ahead of time. Go digital
It’s great to support your local community when you can, but the internet makes it possible to shop small all over the U.S. Consider supporting an Etsy shop, artist or other small business digitally on Small Business Saturday. Check out our list of for inspiration. Gift cards the crowd-pleaser
I love to shop, but I understand why some people dread holiday shopping. The crowds are one thing, and then there’s the pressure to find the right gift for everyone on your list. If you’ve searched for the perfect gift for hours only to end up buying the dreaded candle, I can assure you, you’re not alone. Enter gift cards. From the business owner’s perspective, a sale is a sale, but a gift card can save you from endless deliberation. Check the business’s website or call ahead to see if you can purchase a gift card. Gift cards also open up a whole new category of gift-giving: restaurants. I’ll probably choose this route for my dad and stepmom. I struggle with their gifts because they’re very clutter-conscious. I think they would really appreciate a gift card to their favorite local restaurant, though. The bottom line
I’m an idealist at heart, so I tend to get romantic about world-bettering initiatives like Small Business Saturday. At the same time, I live by moderation. I’m not going to put stress on the joy of gift giving by forcing myself to only buy local holiday gifts. Small Business Saturday is my starting point. I will be thrilled if I check off my entire list in one day, but I’m open to filling in the gaps with big-box retailers. For example, I’m interested to see what I find for my brother on Small Business Saturday. He tends to love tech gadgets, so I’m not sure if I’ll find a good fit while shopping small. But who knows? I may be surprised. Either way, the intentionality of supporting small businesses is what matters. SHARE: Mariah Ackary is a personal finance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer. Related Articles