I've spent my first Bristol Pounds

I love to shop locally, avoiding supermarkets, I am very aware that I am blessed with living near a brilliant selection of independent shops, which makes it so much easier. Most people don't have a local butcher, I've got five within easy walking distance! I've also got a choice of greengrocers, toy shops, craft shops - I even have a choice of independent electrical appliance shops! 

I live near the kind of hardware shops that will sell you a single screw, the kind of bakers who will recognise you as a regular and lend you big bread trays when you need them. Basically I live in the 1940s and I love it! 

Its also cheaper; six organic eggs in Tesco were (the last time I looked) £2.20, in my nearest butchers they are £1.90. I'm often amazed when I do go to the supermarket by signs saying that a punnet of strawberries has been reduced to £2; that reduced price is double what I would expect to pay in my local greengrocer.

Local money for local people

Its important to support these local shops so they don't vanish, which is why I am embracing the Bristol Pound, which was launched this week. Lots of my local shops accept it, so this morning I went to a local bar (which is acting as a hub to buy the currency) to exchange my Pounds Sterling for the Bristol Pound, then hurried excitedly to a cafe to spend some!  The cafe said I was the first person to spend the Bristol Pound in there, but not by long; the next customer did too.

I really hope this works. By keeping money local it benefits everyone. Pre Bristol pound, if I used my local boiler repair man rather than British Gas he might then spend that money at the summer fair of the school both our children attend, enabling the school to by new books, which my children will benefit from. If I use the Bristol Pound, those shops then pay their staff in Bristol pounds, so they then use other local shops and the money stays circling round here, and again benefits will come my way.

Having used the paper version of the Bristol Pound I'm looking into an account so I can pay via text message - no more loose change to carry around! If I want to I could even pay my council tax with the Bristol Pound. So far (2 days in) I'm loving local currency.