Are Any Baby Items Made In The USA Anymore?

In general, I try to avoid purchasing foreign made goods.  I see no long-term financial benefit from transfering our nation's wealth to another nation.  This is especially true when the other nation involved is China.  Unless you've been living under a rock, you're probably aware of China's civil rights violations, as well as the many international safety recalls involving Chinese-made products, including those imported to the US.  Melamine-tainted pet food and lead-loaded children's toys attack us where it hurts the most, by injuring those most precious to us.  Yet, our government doesn't do a whole heck of a lot to intervene.  Perhaps that is because we owe China a boatload of money?

Over the past couple of weeks, I've spent a good amount of time putting clothes away that friends and family have given us in expectation of our daughter's birth.  Almost without fail, each item has originated in China (the few exceptions being items made in Korea, Cambodia, and Thailand).  It was the same thing when our son was born.  In order to find baby items made in the USA, the only option was shopping online.  No local store, whether discount, specialty, or department, carried baby clothes or toys made in the USA. 

Even if one wanted to make their own baby clothes, blankets, sweaters, etc., just try to find yarn or fabric made in the USA without shopping online.  If you're like me, you'd probably either learn to make these yourself from local sources, or find someone who does and keep the money local.  As a backup, the internet is your next best bet.

For many things that, for one reason or another, I cannot produce myself (lack of skill, time, etc.), I prefer to shop online and have it sent to my home.  It saves me a trip, often there is free shipping on orders over certain amounts, and delivery services (such as UPS) are switching to more fuel efficient vehicles.  But, when it comes to clothes, yarn, and material, I'd like to be able to be able to see and feel it.

For many people, their older relatives still do not shop online.  My mom doesn't.  My parents still don't have a computer in their house!  However, she did tell me that several times when she went shopping for baby items for my son, she was just one of many grandma's looking for items made in the USA.  No one could find anything made in the USA.  Just about everything came from China.

What this tells me is that there is a market demand for baby items made in the USA available beyond the internet.  I do understand that would probably translate into more expensive baby products, as we cannot compete with companies that cut costs with the slave wages paid to Chinese workers.  It can be hard to justify spending a lot of money on baby items, especially when most infants will grow out of outfits after only wearing them a few times. 

From a patriotic-financial point of view, however, I would prefer to see people give away their old baby items to new mothers or bring them to consignment stores.  This would reduce the amount of money spent on new purchases of Chinese imports, while reducing the amount of money spent overall our of the ever-shrinking American Wallet.

If you know of any sources of baby clothes, items, toys, etc., that are made here in the USA, please pass them along here in the comments section.  Also, for those that know a bit more about raising livestock for fiber than I do, any info on good breeds for baby fibers/fabrics, please pass that along as well!

Live better, a little every day.

Extra Income Ideas

Our country is facing a massive unemployment problem.  Thousands of people are being laid off, and there are precious few new jobs available.  To drive this point home, I know of a local company that posted a single advertisement for bus drivers and monitors in our local paper.  The ad ran for one day.  They received over 370 applications for only 7 positions. 

To compound the problem, many folks have exhausted their unemployment benefits, and do not qualify for any further benefit extensions.  Some are considering themselves lucky to find minimum-wage, part-time work.  I say, we can do better.

We do not have to wait for the government to stimulate the economy.  We can create our own economies.  We do not have to wait for the government to create jobs.  We can create our own jobs.  Everyone has talents, skills, resources, abilities, and knowledge that someone else wants.  You may not think you do, but yes, you do. 

What are your hobbies?  What do you like to read about?  Can you cook?  Do you enjoy writing?  Do you like fixing things?  Can you plant a seed in a pot?  Can you tell a story?  Maybe you even know something obscure, like how to reads cards or the stars?  Any of these can lead to your own business.

Here is a list of potential homegrown jobs to get you thinking.  Some may be seasonal, some may be part-time.  But, if you get creative, you will be able to find something in your skill set, that can supplement your current income that can eventually become your primary income.

Prouction/Services

• Produce/ornamental grower (can sell at farmers markets)
• Handyman
• Keep chickens and sell the extra eggs
• Keep sheep, goats, alpacas, or rabbits, and sell their hair/fiber to knitting or fiber clubs and associations
• Baker (get your kitchen certified in your state and sell in small specialty shops or farmers markets)
• Sell home-canned goods, anything from jellies to soups (sell in same places as above)
• Babysitting (find out how many children you can watch without becoming a day care, then work towards getting those qualifications)
• Beekeeping (honey & wax sales, pollination services)
• Computer Servicing (check into certification courses)
• Crafting- soap making, candle making, knitting, etc.
• Become an herbalist (some training is necessary, much of which can be done from home)

Lessons
Do you know a lot about something, or even a moderate amount that you could teach to a beginner?  Then you can hold classes and offer lessons.  Here are some ideas.

• Music
• Knitting
• Crocheting
• Weaving
• Sewing
• Food Preservation- canning, dehydrating, smoking
• Gardening
• Beekeeping (help the newbies with their new bees- sorry, I know that was bad)
• Lead a mediation group (everyone is stressed out these days!)

Writing

• Write a book, doesn't matter- fiction, non-fiction, an instruction book, and inspirational book, anything.  You can get picked up by a publisher or self-publish, either way you work once, but payment is on-going
• Write articles- many magazines and web sites will compensate those who contribute to their subscription issues.
• Write a blog- there are some bloggers who get paid to write blogs.  I don't know how much a person would actually have to write in order to get paid for blog entries, but it is something to look into if you have the talent.

Next blog entry: Big Announcement

Live better, a little everyday.