Today, I'm going shopping for a birthday present. I have a party to attend in a few days and I want to find the perfect gift for my friend.
For me, buying a gift entails a great deal of thought and some research. I'm not one of those frogs who goes out and buys the first thing they see...something useless and probably on sale. You know what I mean. I'm sure you've gotten gifts than made you say, "Huh?" Gifts shouldn't be an obligation. Gifts are meant show the recipient that we care about them, that we want to share good things with them. Perhaps even to give them something they'd never buy for themselves, or can't afford. In this particular instance, the giving of a gift shows my friend that I am glad he was born; that I celebrate his life and our friendship. And shouldn't that be worth a little time and effort?
It can be difficult to find a gift that not only the receiver will appreciate and enjoy, but also one that serves a purpose.
"Shopping with a Purpose" is an actual thing and has become popular in recent years. What it means, if your not familiar with the concept, is buying products that support a cause. I like this and makes good sense. It's most popular around the Christmas holiday but I think it's a great way to shop all the time. It's a win-win for everybody. We get, and give, quality items and a charitable organization benefits from the sale. Why didn't this catch on years ago?
There are two ways to do this. The first one is easiest to do if you know what you want to buy. After you decide on an item, start looking for organizations, either local or international, that offer that product. If there are multiple places that do, then select the charitable organization that you most want to support. The second way, if you don't have a clear idea of what to buy, is to look for nonprofits that that sell goods to benefit their cause. Then pick the charity you like best, and go from from there. I found that if you Google "Shop with a Purpose" there will be loads of organizations, selling all kinds of items, that will pop up.
But what about the items you can't find on these sites? My suggestion, then, is to buy from the company that does the least harm; whether that's to the workers who make their products, or those who do the most to help environment. It may not directly help a good cause, but it is still purposeful shopping.
Most of us don't have tons of surplus cash to blow, so why would you want to spend your hard-earned money on a company that's only interested in their profits? I don't think that anyone really wants to do that. All I'm saying here is that, maybe...just maybe...it's time that, at a society, we all do more shopping with a purpose. We have nothing to loose but there's a lot to be gained.
Happy Birthday, my friend. I know you'll love your gift!
For me, buying a gift entails a great deal of thought and some research. I'm not one of those frogs who goes out and buys the first thing they see...something useless and probably on sale. You know what I mean. I'm sure you've gotten gifts than made you say, "Huh?" Gifts shouldn't be an obligation. Gifts are meant show the recipient that we care about them, that we want to share good things with them. Perhaps even to give them something they'd never buy for themselves, or can't afford. In this particular instance, the giving of a gift shows my friend that I am glad he was born; that I celebrate his life and our friendship. And shouldn't that be worth a little time and effort?
It can be difficult to find a gift that not only the receiver will appreciate and enjoy, but also one that serves a purpose.
"Shopping with a Purpose" is an actual thing and has become popular in recent years. What it means, if your not familiar with the concept, is buying products that support a cause. I like this and makes good sense. It's most popular around the Christmas holiday but I think it's a great way to shop all the time. It's a win-win for everybody. We get, and give, quality items and a charitable organization benefits from the sale. Why didn't this catch on years ago?
There are two ways to do this. The first one is easiest to do if you know what you want to buy. After you decide on an item, start looking for organizations, either local or international, that offer that product. If there are multiple places that do, then select the charitable organization that you most want to support. The second way, if you don't have a clear idea of what to buy, is to look for nonprofits that that sell goods to benefit their cause. Then pick the charity you like best, and go from from there. I found that if you Google "Shop with a Purpose" there will be loads of organizations, selling all kinds of items, that will pop up.
But what about the items you can't find on these sites? My suggestion, then, is to buy from the company that does the least harm; whether that's to the workers who make their products, or those who do the most to help environment. It may not directly help a good cause, but it is still purposeful shopping.
Most of us don't have tons of surplus cash to blow, so why would you want to spend your hard-earned money on a company that's only interested in their profits? I don't think that anyone really wants to do that. All I'm saying here is that, maybe...just maybe...it's time that, at a society, we all do more shopping with a purpose. We have nothing to loose but there's a lot to be gained.
Happy Birthday, my friend. I know you'll love your gift!
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