Live local, buy local - That's a thought I had late in the evening while watching the news before calling it a day. The news had story after story about the economic challenges we face as a nation and as a world. Spending is down, debt is up, companies are downsizing, and the forecasts are for more of the same. The big story lately is that consumers are spending less. That in turn exacerbates the situation.
As a nation, we've been through this before. Our parents, and grandparents, and our great-grandparents went through periods of economic challenge. It's easy to say that this a more difficult time and that they didn't have the same problems, but I'm not sure that is true. I remember my grandmother telling me about the cabin she lived in after she lost her husband in the early 1930's. No heat, no water, outdoor plumbing, a wood stove, and the only money for food was from the panning Great-grandpa did in the stream.
Truth is, that makes my little place seem downright comfy! The point I am trying to make is that it really doesn't make sense to compare our world with the past. It is what it is and it ain't no more. We can deal with it or not. It is our decision to make. For grandma, it was enough that they could eat and that they had a roof over their heads. Me, well, I really do prefer my plumbing indoors.
So, here's the plan. We know that our friends and neighbors are having trouble. Heck, lots of us have challenges. Companies are cutting workers because they are not selling products or because the number of clients they serve is dwindling. We know everyone is trying to save money on their purchases. Now for some, that means heading down to a big box store where 99% of the products are from overseas. What I propose is that each of us take some of the money we would normally pay out for foreign products and spend it close to home. Go down to the local lumber yard for that can of paint, the local bakery for your morning roll, or the local pharmacy for the ant-acids you need to get though the next closing.
That's Phase One. Phase two is to buy products manufactured in the United States. I'll have more on that after I do some homework....
Stay tuned!
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