Think your voice only counts at the ballot box? Think again. Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote — for the kind of businesses you support, the ethics you uphold, and the world you want to live in.
Corporations pay attention to profits more than petitions, which means your purchasing decisions can be just as powerful as a protest sign.
Want to protest companies who are bending their knees to the Felon-in-Chief? Don’t shop there. Want to support companies who refuse to bow down and eliminate support for diversity, equity and inclusion? Go shop there.
Turn everyday purchases into a form of activism, whether than means boycotting, buying local, or choosing brands that align with your values.
Are you ready to engage in a revolution? Join me.
Because it’s already working! Take a look at Target. They announced they were ending their DEI programs. And then this happened:
Start by Researching Companies and Brands
I am starting to research companies as I go and will try to grant myself grace when I find out I recently purchased from a company I hadn’t yet researched but later determine I won’t support. Please do this for yourselves, too. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
Open Secrets Website
If you want to know where a company stands, follow the money. Open Secrets lets you do just that.
Goods Unite Us
The Goods Unite Us app also assesses the political giving of companies AND their top management employees.
American Democracy Scorecard
You can also check out how a particular company is rated on the American Democracy Scorecard.
DEI Watch
DEI Watch tracks corporate DEI actions. They break down companies into three groups: (1) those who have dismantled or scaled back DEI efforts; (2) those who are committed to, and have active, DEI initiatives; and (3) those who supported FOTUS or his inauguration in 2024.
Links to underlying research is also provided, so you can see source materials yourself.
So, who is rolling back DEI? Lots of companies, including Target, Walmart, Google, and McDonalds.
Find Other Like Minded People, Whether They Be In Real Life or Online, For Support and Encouragement
Make a Plan for How to Use Your Money and Your Voice
Right now, there’s an economic blackout being planned for February 28th and an Amazon boycott for March 7th to 14th.
And a longer range planned boycott of the big 3: Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
What we’re not going to do, however, is shame people who don’t have the option to shop elsewhere.
Try to Laugh So You Don’t Cry
And don’t forget to try and laugh so you don’t cry. Here’s one of my favorites lately.
(For some reason, I couldn’t embed the actual reel, but here’s a screenshot.)
Are you planning to use your purchasing power to make a statement? What other resources do you use to determine whether to shop somewhere or not?
*Some links in this post may be affiliate links. For links to products on Amazon, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You are not charged for using an affiliate link. If you use my link, I earn a small commission, which I can use to offset the administrative costs of this blog. If you use my links, thank you.
Frugal Forward 
Leave a comment