Many small business friends have decided to close their doors, while others are barely scraping by. Today I want to take the time to share some ways you can support the average small business owner to help keep our community of small businesses and creators hopeful.
During hard times such as the current ones, it can be really easy to forget about small businesses, artists, and others that are heavily impacted financially by restricted living situations.
However, there are ways you can help to support them through hard times that can be really easy and beneficial to you. Here are some ways to support small businesses and creators in hard times.
How to Support Small Businesses and Creators

Shop Online
Believe it or not, there are a lot of smaller businesses that have websites and online shopping options even in hard times. There are also sources that help individual creators still make money, like Etsy, that you can go to in order to support them.
And plenty of these people make useful or attractive items that you could put in your home, use daily, or gift to others.
Buy Gift Cards
Where possible, Buy Gift Cards for local businesses or restaurants. This gives them money when they can’t be open or is restricted, and you can use the gift card later on to purchase things or foods.
It’s a simple and nice way to let them know you’re supporting them and give the place some form of getting by a little better through the money you spend on the gift card.

Shop at Redbubble
Redbubble is a super great way to support artists and creators of all kinds. And they are currently offering masks, which can be useful during sickness seasons to wear out while showing your style, creativity, and supporting artists all in one! I love to Shop Throw Blankets at Redbubble.com because I know I’m supporting creators.
They donate a mask to a crisis relief organization for each purchase and offer discounts on bulk orders. You can purchase a mask by clicking the image below.

NOTE: Masks sold on Redbubble are for general public use only. They are not intended for use in medical settings and are not designed to prevent transmission of disease.
Help Spread Awareness
You can even support these people for free by helping spread awareness of ideas like this, their business, what they do, or anything else about the creators. You can do this through social media or talking to friends and family.
This gives less popular businesses and small creators more publicity in small ways which can lead to better business after hard times or people doing something to help when they can.
Have you ever done any of these to help local or small businesses? It’s a really nice way to give back to less popular businesses or your community without harming your own life or finances. Don’t forget that Father’s Day is coming up, so consider supporting small businesses and creators when you buy personalized Father’s Day gifts.
Hopefully, these give you some inspiration to help smaller creators or businesses in these hard times or consider one of these ideas to do now or in the future.