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Today, made in America products are few and far between. It is estimated that nine out of ten items sold in the United States were made here in the 1960s. Currently, more than half are foreign-made. How does this impact our country?

World News with Diane Sawyer, on ABC Television has been following this issue over the past few months. People are being encouraged to make a commitment to buy made in America products, when possible. It is reported that the Christmas gift spending for an average family is $700.00. It is estimated that if $64.00 of the $700.00 is spent on something made in America, 200,000 jobs will be created. People are being challenged to be "In". That is, committed to spending the $64.00 on made in America products, instead of foreign-made ones.

What are reasons that make it smart to buy American made products? Some that come to mind include:

1. Keep tax dollars in the United States, to help the economy.

2. Create jobs here, to put more people back to work.

3. America has better crafted products because of quality control.

4. The manufacturing standards in the United States are typically better for the environment, causing less pollution than in some foreign countries.

5. There are child labor laws in effect in America. Children are not exploited, as they might be elsewhere..

6. By spending money overseas, you may be inadvertently funding causes that are not in the best interests of the United States.

7. Product safety standards are higher here than in some countries. This was demonstrated when high lead content was found in imported toys recently.

8. People are paid a fair wage for their work in the United States.

If you chose to buy made in America products, how do you find them? Read labels as you shop. Check for products on the Internet. There are several sites that list categories of companies that manufacture made in America products. Locally made items are usually also available, especially handcrafted ones, for gifts and enhancing your decor.

Made in America products in the area of electronics are almost nonexistent. They have to be purchased from a foreign market, or you do without. In this case, it is recommended that you purchase the best item at the lowest price available. This is not a problem if you really want the item. Where a conflict occurs is when there is an American made product at a higher price than a similar foreign-made item. In this case, you could weigh your options, and make a decision based on the quality of the items and the difference in price. Buying made in America products is a priority for me. However, in some cases, other factors may enter into my decision when I am considering whether to buy items made in the United States, or from a foreign country. These may include where the item was made, its quality, and price.

Harriet L. Reed is a retired educator who is learning affiliate marketing with the support of Internet Income University. To find out more about this program, please go to her website at http://hlreedonautopilot.com.

By Harriet L Reed
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