This holiday we each have the opportunity to give to our loved ones and give back to our society at the same time. Sort of like “pay it forward”.
When we purchase something made locally or a service provided by local people, the amount we pay goes back into our local economy (rather than the economy of another country).
This year think outside the box. Buy American products. Buy services provided by American labor. Better yet, buy products made in California and services provided by California employees. And best yet are products made in Santa Clarita and services provided by Santa Clarita employees.
Here are a few ideas:
• Gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber, car detailer or car wash, or local owner-run restaurant.
• The lawn mowed for the summer, or games at the local golf course.
• An oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle?
• Mom would love the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.
• My computer could use a tune-up, and I know I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
The holidays are no longer about draining American pockets and sending your money to a foreign land. The holidays are now about caring about U.S., encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine. This can be our new American holiday tradition.
This year I decided to make a gift to myself. I purchased California made solar panels, installed by a local company. The electric company will use fewer imported fossil fuels since they will not need them to provide my electricity. Although my future savings on the cost of electricity is partially offset by the money I spent on the solar system, the actual dollars spent will stay in the local economy.
Jerald Schneider is a Certified Public Accountant providing tax, accounting and financial advice for more than 30 years. He is the current chair of the California Society of CPAs – Tax Discussion Group in Santa Clarita. He can be reached at 661-297-1072 or by e-mail at jerald@jeraldschneider.com.