How to Break Free from Giant Corporations, Save Money and Get What You Need

Fuck Walmart and ScAmazon. They're sure fucking you. Too many people feel trapped by the hold giant corporations have on everyday products and services, helpless to break free. It can seem impossible to avoid feeding the corporate beast while still meeting your basic needs. But breaking free from these large companies is possible, and it can even boost your budget and overall finances and it can be much easier than you think. This post shares practical steps to help you live a lifestyle less dependent on big corporations, save money, and still get what you need. Win/win!

Fresh vegetables at a local farmer's market

Buy Local and Support Small Businesses

One of the most effective ways to stop supporting giant corporations is to shift your spending to local businesses. Local shops, farmers markets, and independent artisans often offer products that are fresher, more unique, and sometimes cheaper than big-box stores. Walmart's biggest lie is that they always beat everybody else on price. Bullshit. I personally have to locally owned indie grocery stores where I can and do get much more food for much less money than I used to spend at Walmart. Don't be a sucker for slick advertising.

• Food: Instead of buying packaged crap from large supermarket chains, visit farmers markets or even consider joining a co op if there are any in your area. This supports local farmers and reduces the environmental impact of long-distance shipping.

• Clothing and Household Items: Look for thrift stores, consignment shops, or local craftspeople. These options often provide much higher quality items at a lower price and help reduce waste.

• Services: Choose local service providers such as mechanics, hairdressers, or cleaners. They often offer personalized service and contribute to your community’s economy.

  
  

Switching to local options may require some adjustments in your habits and mindset, but it will lead to a more fulfilling and financially sustainable lifestyle, help starve giant corporations and release their death grip on everything we need in life and help local people and stimulate your own local economy.

Embrace DIY and Repair Culture

Giant corporations profit from planned obsolescence, knowing the crap they're selling you is gonna break in six months or less and you'll have to buy new. From them. Learning to fix or make things yourself can save money and reduce reliance on mass-produced shit.

• Home Repairs: Basic plumbing or repair skills can prevent costly replacements and the need to hire outside services. You can find tutorial videos all over the internet for nearly any project.

• Clothing: Consider learning to stitch a ripped seam instead of throwing out a piece of clothing.

• Food: Cooking from scratch, meal prepping and freezing food reduces dependence on processed crap.

Repairing a wooden chair at home

Use Alternative and Shared Resources

Sharing and borrowing resources reduces the need to buy new products from large companies. This can be especially helpful when you need something only occasionally.

• Libraries: Beyond books, many libraries lend tools, kitchen appliances, and even seeds.

• Tool Libraries and Community Workshops: These places offer access to equipment for home improvement or hobbies without the cost of ownership. I've personally never heard of such, but what a great idea. Worth a DuckDuckGo search to see if there's such a critter in your area.

• Ride Sharing and Public Transport: Save gas, maintenance costs from wear and tear on your vehicle and take advantage of any low cost or free options that might be available in your area.

• Freecycle and Similar Groups: Exchange items you no longer need for things you want, cutting costs and waste. YouTube has community marketplace or something like that and there are other online places where people offer things free they no longer need. They're usually customizable where you can select offers within a certain radius of your location. Sometimes all you have to do is go pick up a perfectly fine gently used couch, washer, dryer, nearly anything. I've even seen vehicles offered on these types of things.

Grow Your Own

Growing your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs is a powerful way to reduce reliance on supermarket chains and save money. Even small spaces like balconies or windowsills can support container gardening. I personally can't grow shit so do as I say, not as I do on this one.

• Start with easy-to-grow plants like tomatoes, lettuce, or herbs.

• Use compost from kitchen scraps to enrich your soil.

• Share extras with neighbors or trade for other goods.

Small urban garden with potted vegetables on a balcony

Plan Your Budget Around Needs, Not Brands

Breaking free from giant corporations means focusing on what you truly need rather than the brand names or marketing hype. This mindset shift helps you make smarter spending choices.

• Prioritize essentials and avoid impulse buys.

• Compare prices between local and big retailers. You'll be amazed at the deals indies offer.

• Buy in bulk when it makes sense to reduce packaging and cost. Get shelf stable stuff or things you can freeze and keep long term. I laughed at myself for buying a huge case of Costco toilet paper but I haven't had to buy TP in months and months, allowing me to get more food. Toilet paper doesn't have expiration dates.

• Use the super simple cash stuffing budgeting method I wrote an article about to really tame your home budget. Read the cash stuffing article.

Build a Support Network

Living a lifestyle independent of giant corporations is easier with support. Connect with like-minded people who share your goals. Like the community here at Better Trailers & Double Wides!

• Join local groups focused on sustainability, minimalism, or frugal living.

• Attend workshops or community events to learn and share skills.

• Exchange tips and resources online or in person. Maybe start a frugal living club sort of like a book club to meet and swap ideas over potluck snacks!

  
  

Overall, there's a lot you can do to break free from the giant corporations who are keeping us down for their amusement and profit. Don't have locally owned indie options? Check out Costco. Still a corporation, but a decent one that treats its employees with basic human decency, pays living wages, supports diversity, equity and inclusion initatives and doesn't bow to the Esptein Regime. You can order for shipping online without a membership. Yes, you can. I do. Membership has all kinds of extra perks, discounts and other benefits, so I'm definitely getting one if I ever can.

Long story short, the more we continue to feed and water giant corporate monsters like Walmart and Amazon, the more control they have over pricing, service and everything else. The more local or indie owned competition they can drive out of business, the more they can gouge you with price increases because you simply have no other options. You do have other options. Help keep it that way.

I haven't used ScAmazon in years and years and I don't miss them at all. I use Temu and I've been thrilled with nearly everything I've gotten from them. They're actually the only way I've been able to afford some basic necessities like tee shirts and stuff. I highly recommend you check them out. If you use my referral link you can even potentially get some really great deals and extra savings. Check out Temu.

Temu is your friend. Jeff Bezos is not.