Where Does Your Money Go
We’re already selective about where we spend our money. We consider price, quality, convenience, and preference. But what about social impact? What if we started asking not only “What do I want to buy?” but “What do I want my money to help strengthen?” Read as I explore why the power of our spending - and what might happen if we started treating it as a tool for social change.
10/1/20262 min read
Most of us can name our personal values. We might say family, freedom, success, loyalty, love, faith, honesty, community - and other things along those lines. We’ve probably been asked some version of, “What are your core values?” at a workplace retreat, in a coaching or personal development session, or in a classroom. These values guide our behavior and decision-making.
But there’s another set of values we need to name and be guided by: our social values.
Not just, what matters to me? But, what kind of society do I want to support?
I have a lot of thoughts about how society should be, but I often find myself expressing my opinion rather than intentionally supporting the society I believe in. I question my ability to create the change I want to see. When I reflect on all the social issues that need attention, I get overwhelmed. There’s so much that needs to change, and it’s hard to get past the passionate kitchen table discussions.
I feel stuck making choices that support a society shaped by oppression instead of care, equity, and liberation. And to keep it real, it’s draining to feel like I’m passively supporting my own demise.
I feel it most at the cash register.
Most of the time, I have no idea where my money will end up, who it will support, or what impact my purchase will have on society. I’m making choices with my spending every day, but I don’t always have the information or the power to make those choices in alignment with the society I want to see.
I’m coming to understand that our social values should shape more than our opinions. They should shape our relationships, our systems, and especially how we spend our money.
When I shop at a cannabis dispensary, I want my purchase to support racial equity. Cannabis criminalization disproportionately harmed Black and Mexican communities, so I believe the legal industry should play a role in repair. But I can’t simply walk into any dispensary and assume my purchase contributes to that repair. I usually have no idea who owns the business, where the profits go, or whether my dollars are helping the communities that bore the greatest harm or simply flowing back into systems that benefited from that harm.
We all spend money - and we make decisions every day about where that money goes. We choose a restaurant because we like the food. We choose a grocery store because of its location. We choose a business because we know someone who works there. We compare prices, look for deals, and choose what’s most convenient.
But how often are we inspired to ask: Does this purchase support a society I believe in?
Our spending is one of the everyday ways we participate in shaping society. With intention, spending money can become a powerful tool for social change.
Imagine businesses being shaped by a culture of people who spend with social impact in mind - where our dollars don’t just reward what exists, but help create more of what we want to see in society.
Businesses respond to what consumers reward. If we reward convenience, businesses have an incentive to make things more convenient. If we reward low prices, they compete on price. If we reward speed, selection, status, or personalization, they find ways to give us more of those things.
What if we started rewarding social impact?
