How to Recover from a Blown Budget

Have you ever had a week (or maybe two) when your spending got out of hand? My last two weeks have been like that. I had major family obligations to deal with, I started helping more at my dad’s business, and I took on another small freelance job — all within the same week. Life […]

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Have you ever had a week (or maybe two) when your spending got out of hand? My last two weeks have been like that.

I had major family obligations to deal with, I started helping more at my dad’s business, and I took on another small freelance job — all within the same week. Life got crazy.

Needless to say, I let overwhelm take over, and my money pretty much flew out the window.

When it comes to budgeting, falling off track is a common problem. Here’s how I’ve recovered from my overspend, and how you can do the same:

1. Stop Dwelling

I ate out almost every night for the past two weeks. The house remained a wreck, and I stacked my unopened bills on the corner of the kitchen table.

Going over budget sucks, but it’s not the end of the world. Life happens: you can’t be perfect all the time.

Acknowledge that you messed up, then move on. Obsessing about it isn’t going to bring your money back.

2. Get Back in Your Old Routine

After recovering from a couple weeks of burnout, I started getting my financials back in order by returning to my old routines. I also played a little bit of catch up: paid my bills, balanced my checkbook, and took care of some transfers.

Sometimes when you fall off track, it makes you want to stay off track. It takes more effort to jump back on the bandwagon than it does to remain on the same path. That’s why it’s important to get back into your old routine as soon as you have the chance.

Get everything caught up, map out a plan for the remainder of the month, and immediately return to your former routine.

3. Temporarily Cut Expenses

These past few weeks, I’ve earned a little extra money. My overspending, therefore, didn’t get in the way of paying my bills — it just prevented me from saving the extra money like I’d planned.

I still desperately wanted to add a little extra to my savings this month, so I decided to temporarily cut back on my expenses.

If you need to cut back, consider the following tactics:

• Eat at home until you’ve cleaned your shelves out
• Have “no-spend” days, when you don’t spend a single penny
• Skip paid entertainment and opt for board game nights or free concerts

If you’re still facing a budget discrepancy, you may have to look for extra ways to earn money for the month. Consider selling something or picking up extra hours at work.

The point is: if you’ve blown your budget, don’t beat yourself up too badly. We all make mistakes. The important thing is to pick up where you left off and get back to your budget as

soon as possible.

When’s the last time you blew your budget?

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Are You TOO Cheap? 4 Ways Cheaping Out Could Cost You in the Long Run

Many people tend to focus too much on upfront costs, and not enough on the long term costs sometimes. Cheaping out right now could actually end up costing you quite a bit. Sure, you want to save money and look for the best value for your dollar. But if you are too cheap, you could […]

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Many people tend to focus too much on upfront costs, and not enough on the long term costs sometimes. Cheaping out right now could actually end up costing you quite a bit. Sure, you want to save money and look for the best value for your dollar. But if you are too cheap, you could end up paying more in the long run. Here are 4 ways being too cheap could cost you big:

1. Postponing Maintenance

Many people postpone the maintenance on different items, or pay for cheap half-measures to “get by.” It’s important to understand, though, that this can be a costly mistake. If you fail to properly maintain your car, it will be prone to bigger and bigger — and more expensive — problems down the road. The same is true of maintaining your home, major appliances and other items. Spend a little more up front to properly care for your things, and they will last longer and cost you less in the long run.

2. Purchasing Poor Quality Items

I have a pair of $75 hiking shoes, bought on sale, that have lasted me 10 years and numerous camping trips. These higher quality shoes have been better for me than the $30 shoes I used to buy — every couple of years. If I had to buy these shoes every other year, after 10 years (and five shoe purchases) it would have cost $150. Cheaping out would have cost me twice as much in the long run. Consider the quality of the items you buy. In some cases, paying a little more for something higher quality can mean savings in the long term, since you won’t have to always be replacing items that break or wear out sooner.

3. Neglecting Health Care

My brother-in-law put off having his tooth looked at, because he didn’t want to pay for the visit to the dentist. By the time the pain became unbearable, a $500 problem had ballooned into a $1,500 problem that required a “procedure.” Putting off visits to the doctor, and taking proper care of yourself, can lead to bigger problems later. The same is true of food. Highly processed, pre-made meals can be very inexpensive, and fast food is a great value for the number of calories you get. But if you spend a little more money and time on better ingredients, you can avoid a lot of the costly health problems that come with a high sodium, high sugar diet.

4. Less Insurance than You Need

Carefully evaluate your needs. You need some insurance to protect your assets and, while you want a good deal on the premium, you shouldn’t cheap out completely. Make sure that you have insurance to adequately cover your auto, home, and health. You should also get enough life insurance to help your family in case something happens to your income stream. Don’t skimp on coverage just because you can get it for less. Carefully review your needs, and then get a policy that provides you the protection you require. If you get a cheap policy, you might be unpleasantly surprised when it comes time to file a claim.

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4 Purposes for a Proactive Financial Calendar

I’m obsessed with organization. You know — one of those people who writes something down just so they can cross it off. While I’m overly organized in most areas of life, one area I could stand to improve in is financial planning, and one practical way I could do this is to create a proactive […]

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I’m obsessed with organization. You know — one of those people who writes something down just so they can cross it off. While I’m overly organized in most areas of life, one area I could stand to improve in is financial planning, and one practical way I could do this is to create a proactive financial calendar. After all, I have a daily/monthly/yearly planner and smartphone calendar for everything else… why not apply this to finances? Here are four key purposes this kind of calendar could serve in not only getting more organized, but getting ahead.

Help Remembering Time-Sensitive Tasks

This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of a financial calendar. Sure, you may pay the bills on time without reminders, but it’s easier to lose track of less frequent tasks like paying quarterly taxes, filing a yearly FAFSA, scheduling the appointment to have your taxes prepared, or signing up for medical benefits during open enrollment. All of these are time-sensitive, so plugging them into a calendar with built-in reminders will ensure you meet and beat deadlines without overtaxing your brain.

Breaking Up Overwhelming Tasks Into Smaller Segments

Some time-sensitive tasks like gathering tax documents are also notorious for inducing universal procrastination. The more overwhelmed we are at the thought of tackling a nasty financial project, the more likely we are to put it off until the last possible second. This is where a financial calendar can provide more than just an annoying reminder that you haven’t done it yet: it can actually help you break up a large task into several smaller, more manageable tasks. For instance, one chunk of a huge project might be gathering paperwork, making phone calls, printing statements, labeling files, or maybe just taking the time to purchase the organizational tools you’ll need. Of course, the size of these sub-tasks will depend on the amount of time before the entire project needs to be done (in other words, the sooner your start planning, the better).

Planning Ahead

This is what I need to work on the most, especially when it comes to vacation planning, holiday spending, and starting to set aside money for likely future expenses and savings goals. Planning ahead for vacation can literally save hundreds of dollars on plane tickets and hotel rooms; setting aside small amounts of money each month all year can make holiday shopping less of a budget-crunch…the list goes on.

Re-assessing

Looking forward is important, but so is looking back, especially when your finances change. Financial advisers recommend reviewing your credit report on a yearly or bi-annual basis; it’s also a good idea to re-asses your medical and vehicle insurance coverage. Another important thing to re-asses is your budget — at least on a yearly basis, in addition to whenever you experience a change in income or recurring expenses. Some of these won’t be anticipated, but most people know when they’ll be getting yearly performance assessments accompanied by raises. Not only does re-assessing all of these things on a regular basis keep you in tune with where you’re at, financially — it can save you a ton of money.

I think these are a few pretty good purposes for a proactive financial calendar. What are some things you currently put (or plan to put) on yours, and why?

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4 Tips for Planning for Financial Emergencies

We don’t always know when the unexpected will happen. That doesn’t mean we can’t plan for it though. In fact, one of the best things you can do for your finances is to look ahead and prepare for the inevitable emergency. Here are four tips you can use for your plan: 1. Start with Your […]

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We don’t always know when the unexpected will happen. That doesn’t mean we can’t plan for it though.

In fact, one of the best things you can do for your finances is to look ahead and prepare for the inevitable emergency. Here are four tips you can use for your plan:

1. Start with Your Rainy Day Fund

It’s old news, but the reality is that many Americans still don’t have the resources to handle a $500 emergency. That means you probably need to beef up your rainy day fund.

Get started even if you feel like you can’t set aside a ton. Every little bit helps. Set aside money each week that can be used for a rainy day.

This also includes paying attention to what’s happening with your expenses. While things do happen unexpectedly, the truth is that we often get clues that something is about to break down. The washing machine behaves erratically, or you notice something about the fridge. Once those signs appear, start setting money aside.

2. Plan for Routine Costs

You know that the oil needs to be changed in your car every so often. There are plenty of other maintenance milestones that come with owning a car too. You need to plan for these items. From home maintenance to the fact that your kids need to get clothes for school every year, there are routine costs in your life.

Make a plan to save a little bit each month for these routine costs. You can use a system that helps you prepare to meet these challenges when they arrive, preferably a system where savings are automated. That way, you won’t have to rely as heavily on your emergency fund or (worse) your credit cards.

3. Perform an Insurance Audit

When was the last time you checked your insurance coverage? Do you have the right amount? Will it cover your situation? Double-check your coverage.

Make sure your home is covered. What if you’ve recently bought some expensive items? Are they covered against loss? Look at your health insurance coverage. Will it be enough if you end up in the hospital? Is the deductible affordable? On the other hand, are you paying for too much coverage and not freeing enough money to save?

The right insurance coverage can go a long way toward helping you out when you’re in a pinch. And don’t forget the life insurance to cover your family, just in case you pass on.

4. Know What You Can Cut

Finally, make sure you know what you can cut from your budget in an emergency. Which items are the first to go? Which items, when cut, could result in immediate savings? This exercise can help you spring into action once a financial emergency strikes. It’s a good way to stay on top of things.

Plus, looking at your spending with a critical eye can help you now. If you take the time to review your spending and identify areas of waste, you can plug those leaks now. Divert the money toward other goals, like building a rainy day fund or preparing to buy a new appliance.

As you get into making these plans, you are far more likely to see good results and boost your ability to handle almost anything that can come up. How prepare are you? Would a $500 emergency cripple your finances? Or is it more like a small bump on the road?

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3 Ways to Stop Wasting Money on Children’s Toys

Here are a few suggestions to help you spend your toy dollars wisely.

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I’m going to make a confession here. My house is full of toys that don’t get played with very often. Between my five boys, a mountain of toys comes in every Christmas and birthday. While they do appreciate every toy when they open it, only a few are actually played with more than once or twice.

Over the years, I learned to be more savvy with my choices through experiences with toys that prove to be a good value for the money. Here are a few suggestions to help you spend your toy dollars wisely.

1. Look for Versatility

My youngest child is still playing with his oldest brother’s old Lego and wooden blocks. We’ve been adding to our collection over the years and now we have enough to build a city that takes up half the living room floor. The funny thing is, although we do have “real” Star Wars toys, my boys will still build their own Star Wars scenes out of blocks. I can remember doing the same thing with my Barbies.

In general, the less gimmicky a toy is, the more ways children can find to incorporate it into their play. Look for toys that rely on a child’s imagination rather than batteries. I don’t rule out toys based on popular characters like Star Wars or Spiderman altogether, but instead of say that web-blaster that lasts 3 minutes and then needs a pricey refill (we made that mistake once!), I’ll choose a simple action figure or vehicle.

2. Quality is Worth Paying For

Super cheap toys from the dollar store do have their place, but more often than not, they break and don’t work the way they are supposed to. Not only is it a waste, it can also be a safety risk.

We’ve also found that toys with lots of fiddly pieces and moving parts are usually destined to break early. These might be suitable for older children, but for younger children, simple toys that can stand up to rough play are best.

It’s better to buy fewer toys that are well made. Not only will your money be well spent, but your child will also become less frustrated and be able to enjoy his or her toys for a long time to come. I try to read a wide variety of reviews for toys I’m considering buying, since it’s hard to gauge the quality of a toy when it’s sitting on a box on a shelf.

3. Find Toys That Encourage Activity

My 9 and 7 year old have been playing non-stop with a set of Nerf swords since they got them last Christmas. They love taking them to the park and meeting up with their gang of friends and having glorious boy battles and adventures. While it’s a bit unnerving for us parents to watch, they are having a blast and getting some much needed exercise.

Children need a chance to run around and move their bodies. I’m a fairly lax mom when it comes to video games and television, but I’ll take every opportunity to get them outside and moving. Toys that encourage this are priceless. Even if you aren’t crazy about the idea of sword battles, balls, bikes, scooters and jump ropes are all timeless classics that will provide hours of play for your child.

On this note, I’d like to add that probably the best toy you can give your child is completely free: the great outdoors. We thought about buying a backyard play-set then quickly realized that our children would much rather go to the playground to meet up with their friends and make new ones.

Right now, the group of boys my sons play with have constructed a spaceship out of an old tree trunk and materials they’ve found in the park (some seashells, pine cones and acorns, bottle-caps and some bits of broken glass until it was confiscated). They make up wonderful story-lines and dash around the playground as they perform their missions.

Toys are wonderful for children but playing outside with friends and getting to exercise their bodies and imaginations is some of the best fun to be found. As a bonus it helps them develop their social skills and will get you out of the house to boot!

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Starting a Quilt Retreat: What You Need to Know

Test your business idea with small steps: starting a quilt retreat

Uniontown, Washington, (population 300) has a strong base of arts, artisan and craft entrepreneurship. When I toured Uniontown, a woman spoke up who wants to start a quilt retreat, a place for people to come and quilt together. More than a local quilting bee, she’s imagining a full retreat space. She owns a historic home.

Want to host a quilting retreat? Take small steps to get it started. USDA photo by Bob Nichols

Uniontown, Washington, (population 300) has a strong base of arts, artisan and craft entrepreneurship. When I toured Uniontown, a woman spoke up who wants to start a quilt retreat, a place for people to come and quilt together. More than a local quilting bee, she’s imagining a full retreat space. She owns a historic home that was the site of an old convent in the 1890s. There’s an outbuilding that would be a great retreat location.

Uniontown, Washington, is home to the Artists at the Dahmen Barn, a shared arts and crafts gallery and studio space. The whole town has a strong cultural scene. Photo by Becky McCray.

The old way: Build it and expect them to come

The old way to get started would be to do all the costly renovations first. Then she can organize the first event all herself, and then market it to attract people. If no one or only a few people are ready to sign up, the failure is all on her. She didn’t market it well enough, she didn’t design it in the way that the market wanted or she just didn’t work hard enough.

New way: Idea Friendly

The Idea Friendly way is to build it together. Give as many people as possible a small but meaningful role in designing and creating the event, the space and the community. Here’s how to apply the Idea Friendly Method to her quilt retreat business idea.

Gather Your Crowd

Since she has connections with other quilters online, she could start with a virtual quilting event to gather people to her idea.

Could she start a virtual quilt project that gave more people a small but meaningful role?

Could she hold online sessions to gather people around the idea?

Each conversation with others will bring her new ideas and inspiration. It will draw more people to be part of the project.

If no one is interested, she’ll find out early, before all the expense and risk.

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Build Connections

She could ask her newly-gathered crowd for ideas and for help finding the resources she needs.

Rather than buy enough quilting equipment for all the participants in future retreats, could she find connections to borrow equipment just for the first event?

Do some people want to play a part by helping with marketing, or travel arrangements?

Take Small Steps

Rather than wait to design and build the ultimate retreat space, she can start with these small virtual steps and community building. Then she can step up to hold a very small first test retreat, and keep building from there.

The Idea Friendly Method helps you test your ideas in tiny, temporary ways, often together with another business.

Unlocking Community Potential: The Catalyst Approach for Change

Who do we envision ourselves becoming? The big framing question, “Who do we envision ourselves becoming?” was written in wide black marker on a large flip chart and placed at the front of the room for easy viewing. I introduced the question and gave some context. The ten local leaders stared blankly at it. The […]

Who do we envision ourselves becoming?

The big framing question, “Who do we envision ourselves becoming?” was written in wide black marker on a large flip chart and placed at the front of the room for easy viewing. I introduced the question and gave some context. The ten local leaders stared blankly at it. The organization these leaders represented had been in existence since 2006. That’s not a long time in community and economic development years. Yet long enough to experience considerable success, then slump into a slow decline. This group of local leaders had come to a fork in the road around their purpose as an organization. Now they were faced with uncovering who they would need to become. They needed to regain success for the future of their organization and the community.

In the past 18 years, this organization has raised $8 million locally for projects. It also leveraged an extra $50 million in outside investments. These local leaders have been a catalyst for both big and small changes in their community. But shifts in organizational leadership and the pandemic halted much of that success. Some people told them, “Regroup and keep doing what you’re doing because it worked great in the past!” However, this group chose to have a deep-dive conversation. They focused on uncovering who they see themselves becoming as they considered their role as a catalyst for creating a thriving community.

Whether it’s Kentucky or the Dakotas or anywhere rural, leaders can unlock community potential. Photo by Deb Brown.

I use the word “catalyst” to define this organization because collectively, as a group of volunteer local leaders, they are accelerating change in their community by strategically overcoming barriers and reinvesting local funds into projects. This has led to a regeneration of the region.

Happily, by the end of our deep-dive conversation two hours later, this organization’s leadership had come to a consensus. They would become the local catalyst that invests today for a prosperous tomorrow. And they would achieve this through thoughtful investment strategies, high-leverage collaborations, and game-changing economic impacts for the whole region.

So, if you feel stuck in your community, keep reading. You’ll learn how a group of leaders from your community can use this catalyst approach to drive change. You can create a stronger, more connected, and resilient community.

Action 1: Broaden the vision by shifting your perspective to see the community’s big picture. Before you take any action, talk to various parts of the community. This will help you understand the local challenges and priorities.

Action 2: Build stronger connections by networking widely. Meet with local and regional leaders. Also, connect with organizations, residents, and other stakeholders. Engage in partnerships that can drive collaborative action.

Action 3: Develop skills in facilitating group discussions and meetings. Focus on creating inclusive environments where everyone feels heard and valued. Empower others to take an active role in community initiatives. Create opportunities for community members to share their ideas and take ownership of their ideas.

Action 4: Advocate and educate by using your newly found understanding, relationships, and influence. Take the community’s needs and interests to local governments, businesses, and others. Then, seek support, investments, and in-kind resources for community projects.

Action 5: Foster community innovation by supporting and investing in new approaches that address issues in creative ways. Celebrate the achievements and contributions of community members. Highlight successful initiatives to inspire more action.

Action 6: Listen and adapt based on the community’s feedback. Build resilient strategies to ensure your efforts are still relevant and effective. Community dynamics will shift. Staying flexible lets you respond well to new challenges and opportunities.

Action 7: Model great leadership by upholding high ethical standards, building trust, and showing genuine passion for the community’s well-being. Your integrity and enthusiasm can inspire others to join your efforts.

Over and over, I hear catalyst stories from big towns and small towns across South Dakota. They achieve localized success by implementing these collective actions. Join the ranks of community catalysts by gathering local doers to accelerate change in your community.

Young Americans Returning to Rural for More than Just Holiday Dinners

by Caroline Tremblay, The Daily Yonder August 5, 2024 Kansas: Elevate the work of younger people In rural Kansas, if you’re between the ages of 21 and 39ish, you might be considered a PowerUp —  but not just because of your age or location. A PowerUp is someone who is rural by choice. “The name […]

Stay Work Play NH’s Policy and Pints series at Post and Beam Brewing in Peterborough, NH in January. (Photo submitted)

by Caroline Tremblay, The Daily Yonder
August 5, 2024

Kansas: Elevate the work of younger people

In rural Kansas, if you’re between the ages of 21 and 39ish, you might be considered a PowerUp —  but not just because of your age or location. A PowerUp is someone who is rural by choice.

“The name was created to illustrate the goal of empowering and moving younger people in rural communities into positions of leadership and influence,” Simone Elder said.

She is the PowerUp & Engagement Manager for the Kansas Sampler Foundation (KSF), which focuses on preserving and sustaining rural culture. “For years, returning to rural has gotten a bad rap — the perception that it’s less than or someone failed at their bigger endeavors elsewhere,” Elder said. But KSF has been working to shift that mindset.

Despite old narratives about small towns being places to escape, grassroots leaders and policymakers in rural communities nationwide are exploring ways to attract young people to these places and make them feel at home there.

For example, KSF is challenging residents to envision new possibilities by getting out on the back roads to experience overlooked assets in their hometowns. “Through the Big Kansas Road Trip, we help Kansans and other visitors from outside the state to see Kansas with new eyes,” Elder said.

After identifying PowerUps as some of the strongest assets available, KSF has emphasized cultivating rural influencers. “There’s tremendous value in having an older person visibly and intentionally elevate the work of younger people in rural,” Elder said.

Many PowerUps KSF has interviewed express wanting a sense of community, especially when it comes to raising kids, and a number have voiced entrepreneurial aspirations. Elder noted that while being rural by choice can mean loving where you live, it can sometimes feel lonely or frustrating. “It doesn’t mean you chose wrong,” she said. It’s about having a strong network of champions that can move forward together.

Nebraska: Community funds address top needs

In neighboring Nebraska, Megan Helberg has become one of those champions. Fifteen years ago, she was a “returner.” Similar to Kansas, Nebraska was having an issue telling its own story. “We used to kind of joke about how small we were,” Helberg said. “But we started to realize that people listen to what you say.”

Helberg, who decided to return despite that old narrative, is now a local rancher and secondary school teacher. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Nebraska Community Foundation and serves as chairperson for the Calamus Area Community Fund.

She is one of many spreading the message that young Nebraskans should go explore but then bring their greatness back. “We need you here, we want you here, and you can make a great life here,” she said. In 2024, her school’s senior class had six graduates, all of whom are heading off to college. But 75% are committed to coming back to help with an existing business or start one of their own.

Creating the climate for those kinds of endeavors is where the community fund comes in, relying on unrestricted endowments, local bank accounts that accept donations from community members. Only the accumulated interest can be spent and all funds must be poured back into the community.

“It has been absolutely transformational,” Helberg said. In her area, the community fund has supported the renovation of neglected homes, making the properties available again to combat the housing crisis. Two new childcare centers have also opened with local support, as well as additional funding sources.

New Hampshire: Housing and childcare top barriers

While these grassroots efforts show the power of community when everyone joins in, there is also critical work happening at the policy level across the country. New Hampshire-based Stay Work Play is a non-profit making it easier for young people to call the Granite State home.

Part of its approach is non-partisan, issues-based advocacy informed by statewide data collection. Take, for instance, Stay Work Play’s Policy & Pints series, which gathered young locals at area breweries for focus groups to identify barriers to feeling welcome and secure in New Hampshire.

Unsurprisingly, housing and childcare were high on the list. “We’re not experts ourselves in housing or childcare, but we do work with partners across the state for whom this is their business,” said Will Stewart, executive director.

Stay Work Play is supporting greater investments in the state’s workforce housing fund and advocating for the ability to build smaller units on smaller lot sizes. “Things that young families need to get a toehold here in the state,” Stewart said.

In addition, he’s seen “a return to older models,” like employer-supported housing. Some companies are paying existing employees to house new ones until they’re able to secure stable living situations. A leading healthcare provider has also been exploring options to develop on land already under its ownership. “But they’re just one example of a company that’s looking for novel solutions,” Stewart said.

Beyond these logistical factors, social infrastructure is a key element that’s sometimes less talked about. In New Hampshire, young residents reported high satisfaction with “being able to get out of work and 30 minutes later be on the ski slopes or out hiking or on a paddleboard,” Stewart said. But making friends or finding a date can mean an ever-expanding search radius on social apps. The need for more “third places” where people can gather organically is strongly felt.

As small towns rise to the challenge, sharing a new narrative through effective branding and marketing is essential. Stewart points to Littleton, a rural New Hampshire town that has cultivated a buzzing downtown, food and drink scene, and outdoor recreation network.

For potential “returners” who may not have been back except for holiday dinners, “they probably don’t have an understanding of places, like Littleton, that have changed, and to use a scientific term, gotten cooler,” Stewart said. That’s an opportunity for a redefined rural place to find its people.

Caroline Tremblay is a freelance writer who covers Radically Rural, an annual two-day summit on rural issues held in Keene, New Hampshire. This year’s event, featuring the people and organizations cited in this story, will take place September 25-26. For more information, and to register for this year’s summit, visit radicallyrural.org.

This article first appeared on The Daily Yonder and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Parking Solutions The One small Town made Simple Changes did

How One Small Town Solved the Parking Problem Without Pissing Anyone Off

Small town are full of charm, but they also come with their own set of unique challenges. One of the most common complaints I’ve heard from business owners, customers, and residents alike revolves around downtown parking. Specifically, when business owners and their staff take up valuable parking spaces right in front of their stores. It’s a problem that can really frustrate customers who are looking for a spot to park, but it’s also a tricky situation for business owners who often have nowhere else to park. So, how do you solve this dilemma without upsetting anyone? The answer comes from Berlin, Maryland, and their ingenious solution that made everyone happy!

The Parking Problem That Everyone Knows

Let’s paint the picture: You’ve got a busy downtown area full of small businesses, and everyone loves to shop there except when it comes time to find parking. Imagine this: a customer pulls into a prime spot right in front of a bakery or coffee shop, only to find that it’s already taken by a business owner or an employee. As a shopper, it’s annoying. As a business owner, it’s understandable, right? You need to park close to your store for convenience. But when everyone does it, the parking situation quickly gets out of hand.

Business owners and staff often end up parking right in front of their stores for a variety of reasons whether it’s the easiest place to park, the need to unload supplies, or simply a habit. But all of this comes at a cost: it leaves fewer spaces for customers who are the lifeblood of the business. And when customers can’t find parking, they might take their business elsewhere. This is the classic small-town parking problem, and it’s one that can make or break the vitality of downtown areas.

Enter Ivy Wells and a Brilliant Idea

I’ve recently heard of a fantastic way to solve this parking headache, and it comes straight from Ivy Wells, the Director of Economic and Community Development in Berlin, Maryland. Rather than simply banning business owners from parking in front of their own shops, Ivy and the town came up with an idea that’s not only effective but also keeps people happy. The solution is both practical and thoughtful something that truly benefits everyone involved.

So, what did they do? They reached out to a nearby church with a large parking lot and made a deal to share that lot during the weekdays. The church’s parking area, which is just a short walk from downtown, would be reserved for business owners and their staff. This simple move immediately freed up valuable spots in front of the shops for customers.

Adding a Fun Twist: Parking Permits and Rewards

But wait there’s more! The town didn’t just stop there. To make the new system even more appealing, they gave each business owner and staff member a numbered parking permit to display in their car. To keep track of who was using the church parking lot, someone from the town would regularly check the cars and note the permits. This is where the fun part comes in.

Every time an employee or business owner parks in the designated lot, they get entered into a drawing for local prizes. And trust me, these aren’t just any prizes they’re things that people really want to win. Think gift certificates to local restaurants, free tickets to events, or discounts at other shops. This created a fun incentive for business owners and staff to park in the designated lot, rather than in front of their businesses. It also added a sense of community spirit, as everyone got excited about the possibility of winning something cool.

A Little Extra: Valet Service Could Be Coming Soon

But Ivy Wells isn’t stopping there. She mentioned the possibility of adding a valet service to make things even easier for business owners and employees. Imagine pulling up to the downtown area, handing your car over to a valet, and heading straight to work while freeing up a prime parking space for a customer. It’s a solution that could reduce the stress of finding parking and ensure that the main street remains accessible to shoppers.

The Key to Success: Communication and Appreciation

What makes this solution so effective isn’t just the creative use of space it’s the communication and appreciation that underpins it. Berlin didn’t simply impose a “no parking” rule on its business owners and employees. Instead, they reached out, collaborated, and made sure everyone felt like part of the solution. The addition of a rewards system showed that the town valued the contributions of business owners and their staff while also making room for customers. It’s a win-win.

This approach is a reminder that small-town problems don’t have to be solved with heavy-handed rules. Sometimes, a little creativity, communication, and goodwill can go a long way. When everyone is on the same page, even the most frustrating issues like parking can be turned into an opportunity to strengthen the community.

Takeaway Tips for Other Small Towns

If you’re a small-town business owner, or if you’re involved in your local community, here are a few takeaways from Berlin’s parking solution:

1. Reach out to nearby spaces: Churches, schools, or vacant lots could offer extra parking during busy times.
2. Get creative with permits: Reward people for doing the right thing by creating fun incentives like prize drawings.
3. Make it a win-win: Find ways to benefit both business owners and customers. It’s about balancing convenience with accessibility.
4. Communicate openly: Let business owners and staff know that the solution is for everyone’s benefit, and appreciate their cooperation.

By thinking outside the box, Berlin, Maryland, found a way to solve the parking problem without causing anyone to feel left out or frustrated. The result? More space for customers, happier business owners, and a stronger downtown community. And that’s something every small town can strive for.