In this day and age, it's so easy to just hop online to buy the everyday things we need, but imagine the emotional benefits you'd feel from contributing to someone's livelihood by shopping local. After all, these locals are just like you! They're brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, neighbors, friends — all the people who, like you, make your community a wonderful place to live.

So, what exactly does it mean to shop local?

To fully support the shop local movement, you have to think local. "If Wal-Mart is five miles from my house, is that shopping local?" No, not really. The Shop Local Movement has grown in popularity over the years because it showcases how important it is to support the small, independent/family-owned businesses we tend to overlook due to chain stores, like the Wal-Marts and Targets of the world. While we have nothing against those stores (trust us, we enjoy a good Target trip every once in a while), we find it more rewarding and fun to shop locally. Here's why:

1. You Support Your Local Economy

According to the American Independent Business Alliance (AIBA), when you shop local, approximately 48% of the cost of your purchase is recirculated back into the local economy. When you shop at a chain store, that number drops to only 14%. Instead of taking your hard-earned dollars to a billion-dollar chain store, think about how beneficial it would be to invest them in your local economy and help support a small business owner's family.

2. You Aid Local Job Growth

According to a study by Michigan State University, small local businesses are the largest employers nationally, creating two out of every three new jobs, and employ 52 percent of the nation's employees. Since 2003, small businesses have added 5.1 million new jobs to the economy. So when you shop local, you create job stability for current employees in your community, as well as opening the door for more local hiring opportunities.

3. You Help Local Artists & Vendors Get Exposure

Small communities are often full of artists and vendors who can't afford shop space until their business takes off, so they'll partner with local businesses to sell their products at a storefront. So when you shop local, you give those craftspeople the exposure and funding they need to grow their business. Picture giving your mom the gift of a handmade wreath, jewelry, or painting she's always talked about on her birthday - she'll feel extra special knowing you got her something personalized that just can't be found anywhere else!

4. You Get Healthier & More Tasty Food Options

Did you know that fruits and vegetables contain the most nutrition when they are ripe? According to Greenopedia, a healthy food blog, shortly after being picked, fruits and veggies' sugars begin to convert to starch, cells begin to shrink, and overall nutrients begin to diminish. This means that by the time they travel across the country to your table, they're depleted of the key nutrients they once had if bought at peak freshness from a local farmers market or supermarket. When you shop and eat locally, you're getting a healthier and tastier version of the same product found at a chain store. Believe your belly will thank you at lunch when you're indulging in a big, juicy BLT, with freshly picked tomatoes from the farm up the road.

5. You Get Personalized Service & Products

One of the biggest perks of shopping local are the unique, hand-crafted items you come across. Small business owners don't build their own business from scratch just for kicks - they do it because they are passionate about keeping their products and services exclusive to their community. Many times, small business owners are able to craft and personalize a product just for you - a service that really comes in handy around the holiday season when you're searching for one-of-a-kind gifts for the special people in your life (cue mom's face when she sees her handmade wreath).

6. Area Farmers & The Environment Will Thank You

Local farmer's markets are found to have a positive effect on total agricultural sales across the country, according to EcoWatch, an environmental news outlet. Plus, the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) advises that because food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to your plate, requiring large amounts of fossil fuels to be used causing air pollution and trash buildup from extra packaging, it's actually more environmentally friendly to shop for your food locally. So every time you support your local farmers market or grocer, the farmers will thank you. An added bonus is being able to personally thank the farmer who grew your food - a little gratitude goes a long way!

7. Area Charities Will Thank You

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) conducted a survey last year and found that 75 percent of small business owners donate some portion of their profits — about six percent on average — to charitable organizations each year. Many times, those charities are found right in your community. So every time you shop local, a portion of your dollars may also be donated to a local charity, especially helpful during back-to-school time and the holidays.

8. You Get the Best Customer Service

When you buy local, you get the perk of seeing your salesperson face-to-face, to help you with future orders or to customize an order you've already placed with them. With many chain stores, you won't get that level of customized, tailored-to-you service. You may be directed to an online portal or phone recording, warning you that hold times are "longer than usual," which is enough to make you want to throw your phone at the wall, and you don't need that kind of stress in your life. In addition, many local business owners have personal connections between each other, allowing them to get you exclusive deals and advice for other needs you may have - and who doesn't love a good deal?

Food For Thought

If all of these (awesome) points weren't enough to convince you to shop local year 'round, consider this: Put your money where your home is. Whatever you consider to be "home" - a cozy one bedroom apartment, mom and dad's guesthouse, or the place you spent years saving up for and finally own - put your money there. You live in a community full of hidden gems that need your support. Help grow your community by shopping local and give the hard-working small business owners in your town the opportunity to thrive.

Sources: American Independent Business Alliance, Michigan State University: Center for Community & Economic Development, Greenopedia, EcoWatch, Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Food, U.S., Small Business Administration