It's the holiday shopping weekend that has almost become a holiday in itself; many folks are scouring ads and the web for deals. We are also sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Christmas, holidays that teach us to give thanks and give to others. Many of you know I'm a big believer in supporting the little guy, so I'd like to combine the first two statements of this post into one idea and present it to you: Instead of heading straight to the store or its website, why not look over your favorite blogger's affiliate links and order through them? Yes, this might sound a bit self-promotional, but hey, a traveling blogger has to eat, and this advice presents no extra out-of-pocket expenses for you all.
Of course, I'd suggest first that you make something handmade: bake a batch of your finest cookies, repurpose an old pallet into something you saw on Pinterest, or just gift some of your time to a loved one. Spending time—not dollars—on someone shows you are willing to give up what is becoming increasingly rare in order to make them smile.
However, as extra time is so rare these days, some will think they simply do not have it (you do) or will resort to purchasing gifts, even with the best intentions of finally making it a home-made Christmas. If this is you, here's how you can do a kind deed for two people with one purchase:
When you pick up a gift for someone through the affiliate links on your friend's site, your dollars are pulling double duty and you create a win-win situation. These links often have the same deals you would get if you went straight to the source, so you're not paying a penny more. However, instead of just forking the money over to the big retailer and helping no one in-between, by using a blog's affiliate links, the blog's author will get a bit of compensation for their hours of research, writing and editing. When you choose to shop online through affiliate links, you're showing bloggers you value their time, their opinion, and their blog. You help them stick through with their commitment to bring value to your "screen time." Bonus: you'll come away knowing you helped your favorite blog, its community, and have supported a small business—that's what blogs are, after all!
No comments:
Post a Comment