You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy local and that’s kind of the same.

I am an avid follower of the social media musings of Jayde Leeder who owns a small gift and stationery business in Mona Vale called Little Paper Lane. Apart from the shop, Jayde and her husband run a diverse business that is incredibly creative. I frequent either in store or online for unusual gifts and cards and an opportunity to top up my obsession with unique lead pencils. So if you haven’t come across Little Paper Lane in real life or on social media, you need to know that Jayde writes one of the most honest and brave blogs that I read regularly. This week she bared it all about the struggles of running a small retail business and how hard it is to survive.

And it got me thinking about the buy local conversation. Out of the over 30 businesses that are supporting the Paying 40 Forward fundraiser a large majority of them are local small businesses. So while these people work a lot of hours and put in a lot of effort to bring you their craft, creativity and best they can be; they are also extremely giving people.

So here is a few of the locals that are helping us help the Australian Shunt Registry. Please follow them on social media, visit their shops, buy their wares, engage their services and remember retail happiness lasts longer when its local.

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