Reply #22: We try to buy American when we can

[eilen]

or buy used/second hand. I have to say that complaints about American vehicle quality have a basis of truth. While our 1996 Saturn is still going strong, in order to do so we have to feed it oil frequently-- a quart every week or two and more after long trips. My Chevy Blazer just needed $2000 worth of repairs a month ago. That is about the average I end up spending every year to keep it up and road worthy. When I purchase a vehicle, I make a commitment to it for ten years. After the ten years, I may keep it or replace it. It is the only way to "get my money's worth". But this Blazer is really making me rethink this. If I have another repair/maintenance (why is it always called "maintenance" when you get your brakes fixed?-it's still a repair) this year that is over $500, I may reconsider and sell it instead and purchase a new vehicle. It will be another American made car but this time it will most likely be a Ford. I think some of the quality issues are related to the "walmartification" of our industrial practices. More and more components are produced ultra cheap in quasi slave-states, and then shipped here where they "assemble" the components into a vehicle. Also, I guess my brake pads don't last as long as environmental laws have changed the material they are made out of (according to my repairman and the dealership). I'd rather have cleaner air so that is a trade off but I would hope they would continue to research some harder longer lasting components to create them out of.

Yesterday I purchased 5 flannel shirts (one was insulated), 3 sweaters, one wooden bowl and to strings of beads for $40. The flannel shirts were pre-softened and one of the sweaters was a handknit. I bought these at the Rescue Mission. My money went straight back into my community to either pay for wages for the jobs in the thrift store or supported the programs of the Rescue Mission which include a homeless shelter and meals or food vouchers for people in crisis. I can't say that about Walmart. I can find almost anything clothing related I need at a thrift store. I don't buy used underclothes but I will construct my own from materials purchased there. Socks are problematic but are easy to find made in the USA new. I purchase my husband's workpants from a union run collective in PA. I also sew a good deal of my own clothes but just don't have enough time to do it all.

I also try to source the food we eat locally (local raised meats and vegetables) but I am not as good with that. It is far easier to run to the grocery store. Luckily our local store tries to carry stuff from local farms but in the winter... not as much local fresh stuff. I could do much better with this as with anything.