How it counts

Plain arithmetic, on your own judgment.

Small Local does not look businesses up or classify them. For every entry you choose one of four kinds; the book adds up the rest.

The four kinds

Independent local
Owned and run here, not part of a chain.
Local franchise
A locally owned franchise trading under a chain's name.
Chain store
A regional or national chain or big-box store.
Online
Bought online from a seller outside your area.

The numbers

  • Local share = money logged at Independent local places ÷ all money logged that month, as a whole percent (half rounds up).
  • Broader local share = Independent local plus Local franchise, over the same total.
  • By category: the same local share inside each category.
  • Biggest lever: the category with the most money spent outside independent places, and what the month's share would have been if a quarter of that money had gone to independent places instead. It is a what-if, not advice about any business.
  • Goal: a number from 0 to 100 that you set. Each month shows whether it reached the goal.

Not sure about a place?

These questions usually settle it. They are a guide, not a rule; the book accepts whatever you choose.

  1. Is the business owned by someone who lives and works in your area? If yes, and it is not part of a chain, it is Independent local.
  2. Does it trade under a brand you could find in other towns? A locally owned franchise is Local franchise; a branch run by the company itself is closer to Chain store.
  3. Did the money go to a website or app with no shop near you? That is Online, even when the parcel came from nearby.
  4. Bought online from a shop in your own town? Many people count that as Independent local. Pick one way and stay with it, so months compare fairly.

What we do not claim

Small Local does not estimate how many dollars "recirculate" in your economy or how many jobs your choices support. Studies of local spending use different methods and reach different figures, and none of them can be applied to one household's receipts. The book reports only what you logged.