One Small Step for Shoppers, One Giant Leap for the US Economy
I was reading an email from my father today and this really struck a cord with me. I am a very conscientious shopper. I compare prices for the best values in these hard economic times. Though this is something that I had not really thought about. One small step while shopping can actually make a huge impact on this economy. Let me preface the argument.
How many of us today are affected and/or infuriated by thousands of jobs being exported overseas? I am currently in a sales position at a computer company (who will go unnamed) and I am constantly waiting for the hammer to drop. We are an American company with a large base still in America. But day by day I am seeing more of the jobs around me disappear overseas. I am just waiting for management to hand me my pink slip and me see my job disappear in line with the current outsourcing trend. Well here is one way I think we can start preventing that.
I know when I shop, I compare price per ounce, name brand against store brand, and overall discounts on products. This is one thing that I haven’t even thought of looking at: Where was your product actually made?
In this current economic climate every buying decision makes an effect on someone else in our countries economic system. Be it the guy actually employed at the grocery store, to the people actually making the products, to even where these major corporations call home. All I ask is just take a minute and read the label.
Start looking at where those products were manufactured: GE light bulbs made in China, Hershey’s chocolate made in Mexico, and even Bounce dryer sheets made in Canada. Each one of those perceived to be “American” brands is not employing an American worker to make the product. That is thousands of lost jobs and unemployed people to add to this time of economic hardship.
If each one of us could just take a few extra seconds in the store and only switch one item that we regularly buy to a “Made in America” brand think of all the American jobs that we would be preserving. Think of all the revenue that we would be keeping in the United States. Think of all the people we could get out of the unemployment line. From taking just one extra second to change one product that we usually purchase.
Here is a list of common household items that are “Made in the USA”, just pick one and you can make a huge difference:
Pet Products:
- Tidy Cats cat litter
Household Cleaning Products:
- Arm & Hammer cleaning products
- Clorox cleaning products
- Lysol disinfectant
- Some Hill Country Fare products
Pest Control Products:
- Hot Shot bug spray
Toiletries and Cosmetics:
- Kotex tampons
- Angel Soft toilet paper
- Jergens lotion
- Avon products
- Head & Shoulders shampoo
- Mary Kay cosmetics
- Irish Spring soap
- White Rain products
Over-the-Counter Drug Store Items:
- Phillips’ laxative
- Vagisil feminine wipes
- Qualitest medication
- Orajel
- 3M products
- Azo supplement
Home and Office Supplies:
- Avery office products
- Energizer batteries
- 3M products
Please feel free to comment on this article and add the items that you know are currently “Made in the USA” to the comments section to expand on my list of the items I found around my home.
Well said geek girl! Perhaps we should start demanding that stores start labeling shelves with “Made in USA” clearly. Wal-Mart, HEB, and other stores already place price per volume clearly on the product shelves. I bet if they had shelves labeled “Made in USA” that would garner some attention and potentially increase sales.
Your article inspired me to start a survey on this topic.