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Buying American is to expensive! Is it really?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with WHISPERING PINES REALTY 20398180

I hear this a lot from people.   Then in the next breath they say there are no jobs.  They send them all overseas!

I not going to get into the obvious banter of...buying American promotes jobs and taxes paid and a number of other things.  I am looking just at the products themselves.

First off...tools!  this is the hardest one for me.  Good quality tools cost a lot of money!  BUT, many are Made in the USA!   You can spend a dollar on a cheap imported 10" crescent wrench or pay $7 for a good well made USA made wrench.

For me, one of the hardest things for me to find Made in the USA is fishing supplies!  Rods and reels are hard to come by.  Misc supplies can be found and more increasingly so.  Plastic storage boxes for hooks and lures, the American equivalent is 10% cheaper than the Chinese version.

I also find this true in the grocery store. I look at the Name brand and find that it is more expensive than the store brand, which started out as the 'generic' brand.   I looked at 6 name brand items and found all 6 we made in other countries.  5 of the 6 Store brands we made in the USA.   Here again buying American saves money and helps make a job for someone!.

I find that clothes Made in the USA...usually cost more, but are of much higher quality.  I can get 4-5 times the wear out of a pair of jeans and pay about 25% more.  That saves me money!  It is now cheaper to buy American!

I know that in many instances, there is NO American product to choose from.  At that point I try to by from the country that supports us in every day life around the globe!  If I buy from a neighboring country instead of China...they have jobs there and we have less illegals looking for a better life here.

Buying American can be done abnd even at a cheaper price.  Sometimes at the cashier and sometimes over time!  But saying that American products are 'ALWAYS' more expensive...then you haven't taken the time to compare.

Do yourself and our country a favor and check the labels.

When you look at a friend that has been out of work for a long time ask yourself...Am I doing all I can to help him in my daily habits.  It is up to us.

Tell store managers that you want American made choices.  That is the only way they will know.

William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Richard...Thanks for the feature. 

This is of great importance and the sooner we all get together on this the better we will be.

Jul 27, 2010 03:31 PM
Steve Baklaich
RE/MAX Results St Cloud Mn real estate - Saint Cloud, MN
Treating Buyers & Sellers to Full Service Always.

This is a great post, we have been looking at where things are made and buying American for a while, and have even asked for items Made in the US when we can not find them.

Jul 27, 2010 04:04 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Interesting thought about the durability of American clothes William. I hadn't thought of that one...

Jul 27, 2010 04:05 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)

Bill - You make some terrific points here.  I will make an effort to check the labels more often now.

Jul 27, 2010 06:00 PM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Good morning everyone...it does take a little effort on our part, but the rewards will be great for all.

Jul 28, 2010 02:06 AM
Don Rogers
Keller Williams Realty Chesterfield - O'Fallon, MO
Realtor, Broker, CDPE, GRI, OnullFallon MO & St Charles County MO homes

Bill,

It is amazing how many items are flooding the market from other countries.  I appreciate your thought about looking at a country that supports us.  Awesome point my friend.

Jul 28, 2010 02:35 AM
Mike Saunders
Retired - Athens, GA

Bill - I am for buying American, but I am certainly not for what Richard R. states in comment 1. That will not make American goods cheaper, it will just make things more expensive for us with protectionism (look at the industries where protectionism is/has been practiced). I drive an American made car, a Hyundai, but I drive a Mexican made truck, Ford Ranger. We need to practice shopping habits that encourage American competition, and if it means we do not buy what is overpriced and poorly made, so be it.

Jul 28, 2010 02:43 AM
Randi Brammer
Randi Brammer, Acctg. - Hinckley, MN
Accountant & Tax Preparer

Bill, a lot of good comments.  Mike's last comment is very true, just because it is an American household name does not mean it is made here in teh USA.  We need to be more diligent.  I also like your idea of buying from countries that support us around the world!

Jul 28, 2010 04:27 AM
Steve and Jan Bachman
RE/MAX Gateway, Reston, Herndon, Ashburn, Sterling, Fairfax - Herndon, VA
Realtors - Northern Virginia

I used to call on fabric mills in the south years ago. Gone!!!

Carpet mills. Gone!!!

Thread manufacturers. Gone!!!

We cannot allow ourselves to become a nation of just service industries and distributorships.

Good post Bill

Jul 28, 2010 06:38 AM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Bill, this is excellent.  I always try to buy American made goods.  We need to do what we can to keep our jobs.  This is one of the most innovative countries in the world, and many may take exception to that but we did invent the light bulb and the telephone.  Thank you. 

I love American-made jeans.  They really are the best. 

Jul 28, 2010 02:15 PM
Paige Walker
Paige Walker - Pineville, LA
Real Estate Guru - Alexandria Pineville LA

Bill I can tell you are a proud American!! I always try to buy American Made products - they are always a higher quality.

Jul 28, 2010 03:55 PM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Bill...great point here and deserves a feature.  I am proud to be an American and will always try to buy American made products.

Jul 30, 2010 12:48 AM
Jim Pirkle
Harvest Realty LLC - Dahlonega, GA

For the first time in years I'm considering buying an American car.  I think we've had a wake up call as to what low quality manufacturing does to our economy.

Jul 31, 2010 02:58 AM
Michael Delaware
North Sky Realty LLC - Battle Creek, MI
REALTOR®, CRS, GRI

You have given me more insight into my shopping habits.  I am going to start looking at labels.

Jul 31, 2010 06:48 AM
Joetta Fort
The DiGiorgio Group - Arvada, CO
Independent Broker, Homes Denver to Boulder

How about gas?  Do you know which big oil companies get all or most of their supply from American sources?

Jul 31, 2010 07:34 PM
Robert L. Brown
www.mrbrownsellsgr.com - Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids Real Estate Bellabay Realty, West Mic

Like Joetta said above gas is a big thing to know where it comes from. We NEED to support more American manufacturers and byt the products.

Aug 01, 2010 12:25 PM
Jerri McCombs, Broker/Owner
Dogwood Real Estate Services - Hendersonville, NC
Hendersonville Living

I agree that buying American is good. I try to only buy American and it is hard. Seems like clothing is the hardest of all. But if we all asked for it and stopped supporting the cheap products broguht in from other places it would definiltiy be heard-eventually.

As long as there is a market, this will continue.

The food issue can be easily revolved by supporting local farmers and buying vegitables that are in season and from local farmers markets. And most areas have local producers of locally grown meats. Stop buying boxes of prepared foods that are mostly preservatives and buy grains that are organic and fresh. Not only will you support the local farmers, you will be healthier for it.

Buying local is also a great way to stop the insanity. Supporting local business, rather than buying from Big Box stores may seem to save at the time, but it really throws money out of the community and changes the face of a town. I am lucky to live in a small town that values the Downtown revitalization, and there are so many really fantastic shops and food places that are all locally owned. It created a great sense of community, and it something I find valuable in the community.

Thanks for the post!

Aug 02, 2010 04:16 PM
Sergio DePinto
Royal LePage Maximum Realty.,Brokerage - Greater Toronto Area - Vaughan, ON

Hey Bill,

I have this perception arqument with so so many people. You're absolutely right... there's a real difference between COST and PRICE. What we initial pay for something is exactly what it's worth most of the time (unless we're getting ripped off- gouged).

My Grill was made in the USA, my BBQ is a piece of equipment that I'm going to enjoy for years to come... all I need is for a cheaper ($350.00 cheaper), burning through the sheet metal and setting the deck on fire. Ok! it hits home... I'm being specific because it happen to me before. Sorry to be long winded.....but....Wisdom sometimes comes with age... LOL :)

Nice post.

Aug 04, 2010 12:53 PM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Sergio...In order to learn we must make a few mistakes.

Aug 04, 2010 01:09 PM
Robert L. Brown
www.mrbrownsellsgr.com - Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids Real Estate Bellabay Realty, West Mic

Being a home theater buff i want to buy McIntosh products. Born in the USA.

Aug 05, 2010 01:51 PM