Walk With Your Wallet

Last week, I read a number of articles about people canceling their Equinox memberships and Soul Cycle classes due to one of the investors' political ties with Donny T. I was also told by someone not to wear New Balance gym shoes or shop at Home Depot because the ownership of those companies are right-wingers who support Donny. I firmly believe in walking with your wallet meaning making a political statement with the way you spend your money. If I don't like the way a company is handling its business, then they will lose my business. I also understand that you have to be realistic about boycotting. Most of us will probably never stop using products or services from a company whose leadership gives to political parties and causes we disagree with, but we can do our small part to try and spend our money with businesses and organizations whose views we do support. There's a Jewel grocery store in the city where I live that seems to overrun lately with panhandlers. You have to walk through a gauntlet of panhandlers just to get in and out of the store these days and I'm tired of it. I'm about ready to walk with my wallet and take by business elsewhere because I'm tired of being asked for money every time I visit the store. I understand there's a homeless problem in and around Chicago, but does that mean I should get asked for money by 3-5 people when I'm just trying to buy some frozen waffles? It's annoying. I don't give money to panhandlers. I give to the Chicago Food Depository instead or support Chicago Cares. Give to the churches and synagogues that provide free meals to those in need rather than some dude hitting you up for change outside of the grocery store.