When I'm looking into buying clothes for my family the first place I check is garage sales. If I can not find what we need in a reasonable amount of time then I look for US made clothing. There is still a wide variety of clothing made in the USA. Take a look at some I've found.

All American Clothing Co.- This company makes a variety of clothes to cover almost any of your (men's and women's) clothing needs.

American Apparel- All of their clothing is made in Downtown L.A. They are one of my favorites because they have a nice AFFORDABLE selection of organic cotton apparel.


Apple Pie Apparel- This website only sells American made clothing.

Carhartt- This high quality work clothes is still made state side. I grew up wearing their coveralls and overalls in the winter time. They hold up well to abuse!

Etsy Shops- Etsy has thousands of listings for clothing most are made here in America others are spruced up here. There are listings from sellers around the world so do check the location of each artisan.

Hyena Cart- Like Etsy Hyena cart is made up of artisans and crafters. The difference is Hyena Cart is earth friendly (but so are a lot of Etsy sellers).

Lucky Jeans- When I contacted them they said that all of their jeans are made in the US. Some of their other items such as the bags, jewelry, and shirts are produced in other countries.

Prom Party Dress- Most of their dresses are made in the USA. Before you buy you should ask to make sure that the dress you like is a USA made item.

I hope that this list helps you to fulfill your clothing needs while keeping jobs and money close to home. Some of the upcoming posts to this series include toys, bath and body products, appliances, and more! This Christmas season, buy Made in the USA gifts for your friends and loved ones.

Do you know of any other companies that make their clothing right here in the great USA? If so, comment below and I will add them to my list.



I have not bought clothing for all of these sources, so I'm not giving my opinion on the quality of the products. I would suggest doing a search for reviews before buying any product sight unseen. If you work for any of these companies and would like for us to do a product review please feel free to contact us. I would love to review US made products and help consumers buy quality US made items.

I caught word of layoff rumors at my employer last week. Our factories have gone through cut-backs this year, and a couple even closed. We're hurting just like.... well, every other company. We've gone through all of the cost cutting exercises, temporary travel restrictions, best cost practices, etc, etc... But so far, the restructuring really hasn't hit the white collar staff let alone my department.

You keep hoping that things will turn around, things will get better.

And they will, but likely not soon enough for some. The rumors got a hint of credibility this morning when it was reported on the local news. Reported as a rumor, but they felt is was credible enough to read.

Today, it was all the buzz around the office - everyone hoping that the next guy had answers, or maybe you had heard something? It was getting deep, and I couldn't wait for the day to end as management's actions gave hint to the impending notices.

One friend asked, "Have you been through this before? Why aren't you worried?!?"


The answer is, yes, I have been laid-off before, and I watched several happen as an outside observer in the tech-town we used to live in. But now the bigger and more important question: Why aren't you worried?

I wish this post could be some magic formula, some secret trick to avoid being one of the unfortunate few. It's not. No-one can give you that. Maybe a pill to make it all better after it all goes down. Nope, not that either. But it is what I know about surviving a layoff, about keeping it together, about keeping your sanity, and thus why I am not worried.

1. Don't Panic. Panic is contagious, and spreads fast. It does no good and you tend to make bad decisions when you panic. When was the last time someone when through a horrific event and later said, "Wow, good thing I panicked!" Never. Doesn't happen. Besides, whether you know it or not, there are people who look up to you, people who depend on you. People who look to you as their rock. The best thing you can do is be that rock. Be that calming voice of reason when all hell breaks loose.
   
2. Find Solace in Your Diligence. If you've been on the ball, then you've likely got one of those budget things, and maybe been saving some money in an account or something. The Mrs. came out looking like an absolute genius after I was laid-off some years back. When we got home that day, we went over the budget to find that we were.... ok. We could make it on her income alone. Especially since we had been aggressively paying down our debts. We also had some cash tucked away in the baby emergency fund. Those three things gave us great peace on what was one of the worst days of my life. Seeing that storm coming, she had us in high gear leading up to it. If you haven't been doing these things, this is why you do them. If your plan is based on the best-case scenario, then welcome to life - it doesn't work that way.
3. Put it in God's Hands. This is likely the most important one. Maybe you've heard the phrase, "Control what you can control". Well, this one is out of your hands. Seriously. Your past actions and performance may determine your fate, maybe not. Either way, it's out of your hands and quite possible that anything you do will only make matters worse. This is likely the largest part of why I can be so calm during something like this. Because I choose not to worry or act foolishly, but rather to pray to God, and put it to Him. If it is his will, if it is my time to go, then so be it. We don't know his plan and if you want to make him laugh, tell him your plan! When I was laid-off, I later saw it for the blessing that it was. I'm not saying that it was easy, but I later saw that it was time, and that God removed me from a poisonous situation that was only bound to get worse.
   

1. Don't Panic. Yeah, we're still not going to go there. B r e a t h e. Maintain your dignity and your composure - be professional. If you play your cards right, then you'll walk out with a healthy severance and maybe even a letter of recommendation. The world hasn't ended, just your job.
2. Know your rights. You may want to do a bit of research if you know that this is coming. Know what your employer can and cannot do. Know your rights as an employee. Can you collect unemployment? Have you been unfairly treated or discriminated against? Don't just assume that they know what they are doing and remember who's best interest they have in mind. Document everything, and know that all internet activity is monitored on the company network, so do your research from home.
3. Your New Job Starts Today! That is, your full-time job of finding a new job. Time to hit the bricks and press the flesh, because the sooner you get a new steady income, the sooner that severance package looks more like a big bonus. Or maybe it's time to consider a job in the art of homemaking. Yes, you too can be a stay-at-home-mom or dad. There is no shame in it, and it can be a great time to bond with your kids. Take the opportunity if you can.
   

If you have been following our Patriot Pact Series you know just how I feel about supporting American workers. This weekend I spent some time with my parent's and other extended family. When the topic of the economy came up everyone talked about our money all going overseas and not staying here. When I said that I work very hard to try to buy only products make in the the USA, I was told over and over again how you just can't do it. Well, they are right. If you only shop at Wal-mart you can not do it, but if you are willing to try new stores and shop online there is a way.

These weekend conversations have inspired me to prove them wrong with a new series called: Made in the USA = Jobs in the USA.

I thought that I would start this new series out with one of my favorite things, Shoes.


New Balance- Most of their shoes are made in the USA, but check the label before buying.

Okabashi- These plastic shoes are very affordable and made for every day wear.

Red Wing Shoes- All of their shoes including work boots are made in the USA.

Soft Star-They make some adorable looking shoes for babies.

Wilson Boots- It's hard to believe that not all cowboy boots are made in the USA, but it's a sad truth. Wilson still makes their boots in the USA.

The next time you need a new pair of shoes try to buy these brands first to help keep jobs right here in America.

Do you know of any other companies that make their shoes right here in the great USA? If so, comment below and I will add them to my list.


I have not bought shoes for all of these sources, so I'm not giving my opinion on the quality of the products. I would suggest doing a search for reviews before buying any product sight unseen. If you work for any of these companies and would like for us to do a product review please feel free to contact us. I would love to review US made products and help consumers buy quality US made items.

A couple of weeks ago, gas prices started falling. A little at first, then a dime. Another dime. And another.... Seemed like for a while it fell a dime every day or two. I took this picture in disbelief of gas approaching $3. Not an unwelcome change. Then it fell below $3.00. I wasn't sure I'd live long enough to see that again.

Now, on the way home tonight, I saw it posted at $2.46 - TWO FORTY-SIX! Pleased as I was, I thought back to the previous weeks and months with the question:

This week we were included on five carnivals and festivals. Another slow posting week here at NtJS due to, life getting in the way. Stay tuned - lots of good stuff on the way and in the hopper. Be sure to check out the return of ReUse It!

We are pleased to welcome all new readers, as well as new carnivals to Not the Jet Set. To find out more about us, click here. We are a personal finance blog focused on frugality, stewardship, and current events, while also telling our story as a family and the personal finance decisions we have made. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out our NtJS Cafepress shop!

• Craft Stew has 10 ideas for reusing greeting cards.
  

At notthejetset, we've always pursued quality over quantity. Even still, we're please as pie to present this, our 200th post! Happy reading, and here's to 200 more. Cheers!

• Towel
• Ribbon (1 1/2 yards min)
• Applique (optional)
• Other Trim (optional)

Instructions:
1. Layout- Line up the middle of the ribbon length and the middle of the longest side of the towel to create the top waist band/tie. Pin together.

2. Sew- Next sew the ribbon to the towel along both edges making a rectangle.

3. Details- Now the fun part! Add your applique to the towel or any other trim you like. Make it unique to fit your own style.

4. Completed- Tie it on and test it in the kitchen!

Overall Project Grade: A



Project Notes: This project can easily be done for free by using items you already have. The nice thing about these aprons is that they are absorbent and you never worry about staining them since they are a nice cheap work horse.

To make them into a more personalized gift add an appliqued or hand embroidered letter to the towel in your friend's favorite color.


Have you made a towel apron before? If so tell us about it!

Back in June Mr. NtJS asked me to write a post about frugal baby food. I informed him that I was not an expert and all I really do is just mash bananas and serve. Well, almost three months later I still do not feel like an expert but I would like to share what I have learned about making our own baby food and feeding our baby on a budget.

Like usual, we went against the norm and did not introduce rice cereal first. In fact, I still have not introduced grains yet (daughter is 9 months, started solids @ 4 months). I found no evidence that supported the notion that you have to give cereal's as one of the first foods. In some cases due to allergies it is better to wait.

Instead, I started with bananas. They are the easiest to prepare and one the first foods on all the list to try. It's as easy as keeping a few fresh ones on hand and mashing 1/3 of it at a time with a fork. Since we have an older child we would give her the other 2/3 of the banana with her meal. If you don't have another child to eat the left overs you can cover the cut end with a small piece of plastic wrap and it will keep it from browning.


Since I was trying to feed my daughter healthy, but frugal foods the next logical choices where direct from the garden. Zuchinni, carrots and peas all came straight from our garden. I did purchase sweet potatoes, peaches, apples, and other fruits from local farmers (equaling a good deal for both of us).

I was amazed at how easy and quick it is to make the food! The veggies I would steam while steaming them for us as well. So if we where eating peas I could steam the extra's for the baby. Once they were steamed, I just put them in the food processor or the food mill (our food mill is awesome, by the way). Then I fill ice cube trays with the pureed food. Once it's frozen I move the cubes into marked containers. The fruits I just slice up and give her them in a mesh feeder. That is her favorite way to eat right now. I did make apple sauce which takes more time but if I'm going to put up over 50 quarts for my family what are a few more sugar free ones for the baby?

My baby loves the food. She has yet to find a food she did not like. As for my older daughter, she did not like my homemade baby food. I think that the issue was that I started her on jarred food and then decided to try to make it when she was a little older. My guess is that if I would have done it from the beginning she would not have minded the taste or texture.

Another interesting observation is that our still toothless infant is eating cheerios, while other kids we know, who have been raised on jarred food AND have teeth, are unable to handle solids and gag unless everything is liquefied.

By making my own baby food we have saved a lot of money. We have not made any charts or formula's to calculate how much, but when you look at the high price of jarred food compared to fresh fruits and veggies you will see a huge mark up.

Do any of you make your own baby food? Do you have any tips you could share or stories to tell?

Disclaimer: This is the second, and I can't say the final, post based on a country song. Fan or not, they are many times difficult not to relate to. You've been warned.

Few things are quite as frugal as going the DIY route. Many times this can be simple things:

• Mowing your own yard instead of paying the neighbor kid twenty bucks.
• Washing your own car instead of blowing ten bucks on the Scratch-o-matic downtown.
• Making your own meals instead of letting McDonald's catch your slack.

This week we were included on two carnivals and festivals. Another slow posting week here at NtJS due to, life getting in the way. Stay tuned - lots of good stuff on the way and in the hopper. Be sure to check out the return of ReUse It!

We are pleased to welcome all new readers, as well as new carnivals to Not the Jet Set. To find out more about us, click here. We are a personal finance blog focused on frugality, stewardship, and current events, while also telling our story as a family and the personal finance decisions we have made. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out our NtJS Cafepress shop!

I'm a green gal. I use cloth diapers on my baby, I compost our food scraps and yard waste, I take my own reusable bags to the grocery store. Because of this green lifestyle I also tend to buy a lot of fruit and veggies at the local farmer's market during season and at the grocery store the rest of the year. I find it extremely difficult to use those little plastic produce bags at stores. I also tend to lose the small items in my large bag while buying lots of goodies at the farmers market and need something smaller to sit them in. What to do? Well, make your own stylish reusable produce bags of course!


After lots of online research I came up with an idea that was spurred on by a lady who was making them out of fabric and doilies. My spin on the produce bags is even easier to do for us DIYers with no sew machine needed. Just a couple doilies and some ribbon.

Cost: $4.00

Time: 10 minutes

Skill Level: Beginner

Materials needed:

• 2 identical doilies
  
• 1 or more yards of ribbon
  
• large eyed round tipped needle (optional)
  

If you haven't read our first draft of the Patriot Pact, then be sure to check it out. We're our to remind Americans how much power they actually wield, and begin to steer our nation in a direction that doesn't lead to stupid.

For those of you who have read the Pact, you likely noticed that 10 through 13 are are political based, yet non-partisan. Neither party is always right, and neither is always on the correct side of the issues. That is for you to figure out. But that is not always easy to do. This being an election year, it is increasingly important to get a grip on what is going on.

How, as a voter, do you separate the rhetoric from reality, and make an educated decision?


TV ads aren't going to get you there. The internet is a slippery slope of myths, lies, rumors and occasional truth. Source is always important. Hot off the heels of the third and final Presidential Debate here is a tip for separating signal from noise.

Lately, I've found it quite informative to read the Fact Check posts on CNN's Political Ticker. Sure, each news outlet has and shows it's bias. But these Fact Checks are backed up by data collected from independent sources. One of which is factcheck.org

Will McCain raise taxes? Will Obama spend us into the poor house? Did Palin shut down the Bridge to Nowhere? Did Biden say that Obama was not ready to lead?

Here you will find the facts, clearly stated, followed by a conclusion. True? False? Misleading? Incomplete? They let you know. Responsible voting - now that's patriotic.

How do you seek out the truth when it comes to politics?

The Mrs. and I were super excited about two things on our mortgage statement this month. Sounds like someone getting excited about the new phone book coming it, right? Well, there's no misplaced emotions here. These are actually pretty cool things, and they wouldn't be so had we of opted for the standard issue 30-yr mortgage.


Cool thing number one:
Our balance is below $100,000. We got a great deal on our house (even though it needed a lot of updating). We bought for way under original asking price and had some concessions on top of that. Then we put 20% down to avoid PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance, foreclosure insurance for the lender that you pay for!). It's a mental win really. It just feels great to know that we owe less that $100k, when we know so many spending 3x what we did. With a 30-year mortgage, our payments would have been less, and we would not have as much payed off by now.


Cool thing number two:
Our payment is almost equal parts interest and principle. A year and a half in, and we're nearly split between the two. Again, kind of a mental win as nobody likes to look at these things and see 90% of that monthly payment going to interest. Again, 30-yr notes don't amortize as fast as a 15-yr.


When was the last time you felt good about your mortgage?

This week we were included on four carnivals and festivals. Sad to report that we don't have time to add some suggested reading from each carnival, but then again, we barely got this one out as is! Enjoy the round up, and be sure to visit the carnivals as there are some great posts on there other than the ones written by us:)

We are pleased to welcome all new readers, as well as new carnivals to Not the Jet Set. To find out more about us, click here. We are a personal finance blog focused on frugality, stewardship, and current events, while also telling our story as a family and the personal finance decisions we have made. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out our NtJS Cafepress shop!

With the current financial crisis in full swing, the evening news is littered with bank failings, job losses, and business closures. Sad news, undoubtedly, as these failings only add to the turmoil. Story after story, usually followed up by more tales of foreclosure. As we watch the fallout from years of bad decisions, we see a common theme arise:

If you are at all familiar with Jim Cramer or his show, Mad Money, then you might be a bit confused by that title. No, I'm not saying that I finally understand his methods and that I'll be foolishly getting sucked into day-trading in the near future.

No, no, by "Jim Cramer Finally Makes Sense", I mean that he's finally come down from his decades-long caffeine/sugar high and stopped all that crazy talk - Buy! Sell! Hold! Buy! Sell! Hold! Bear Sterns is fine! At least for a few minutes on the Today Show he was making sense.

His advice sounded strangely familiar...

Cramer, calm and near tears at times, said that he thought all weekend about what he was going to say on Monday morning. His long contemplations resulted in this sobering advice:


If you'll need your money in the next five years, get out of the market.

Wow. Really? This is somewhat sound advice, and I commend Jim for actually saying it... outloud... on national television. But here is why I think he's a big dummy: It's easy to say that NOW! After the market is downward spiraling. After the mortgage meltdown. After the collapse of bank after bank after investment firm. After the foriegn markets have taken a nose-dive. Gee. Really?! You think that money that poeple are counting on for college, large purchases, or retirement might not be there?!

You see, this is what Dave Ramsey has been teaching for years, Jim.

This, could happen at any time. The market, by nature, is volatile. If you need your money in 5 years or less, then it needs to be in a good savings account. If you won't be needing it for 5-10 years +, then you should be invesiting it in good mutual funds as you will be able to handle these swings in the market without flipping your lid.

Jim Cramer: Typically going in twelve directions about which stocks to buy and sell, had to come on the Today Show to tell the nation that he has new advice for these difficult times.

Dave Ramesy: Advice has not changed. Plan still works. Isn't selling stocks - especially at the bottom. In fact, he's still buying at the same pace he always does - slow and steady.

Did mom and dad ever read you that story about the tortoise and the hare....?

The cheapest way to handle Halloween is to leave the porch light off and forget about it. BUT when you have little kids or enjoy the holiday it makes it hard to just ignore Halloween. I find most costumes at the store to be cheaply made and not able to hold up to my kids. Especially since they want to use the costume as dress-up clothes after the holiday. Because of this I always end up making my own costumes. Some years have been expensive, like the Snow White costume that I spent a fortune on fabric to get just the right colors. But other years have cost close to nothing like the Black Cat year. I'm no expert on cheap Halloweens but here are some tips that I have learned along the way.

• Plan ahead- Like most things in life, if you give yourself enough time to think and get good deals you will save money.
  
• Creative Costumes- Be creative and make your kid's (or your own) costumes. Instead of asking "What do you want to be this year?" ask, "Do you want to be a train engineer, a robot or a super hero?". By narrowing the choices down to options you know you can make cheaply or for free you and your child can both be happy about the decision.
  
• Rethink Treats- We all know that we can not give out homemade goodies on Halloween night or at the school parties. I try to be healthier and cheaper by shopping for the little snack packs of animal cracker or similar when they are on sale. I will sometimes find other smaller packaged items on sale to use also.
  
• After Holiday Sales- This good rule of thumb applies to all holidays not just Christmas. Last year I was able to get Halloween knee-hi socks for 90% off at Target. I bought all of them and made a boat load of Baby Legs for my kids to wear this year.
  
• Reuse Candy- This is not as gross as it sounds. If your kids get candy at school or daycare like mine do then you know how it feels to end up with candy no one in your house will eat. Why not turn around and give it out to the kids who come to your door that night? It's still wrapped and untouched so to speak.
  

It has been amazing to watch our little baby change over the last month or so. It seems like over night she goes from sitting there taking the world in quietly to a non-stop explorer who loves to talk. As much as I love the changes the one hard part has been the diaper changes.

I'm sure all parents can relate to our experience as I'm well aware that it is not a unique one. Our baby would lay on the changing table so nicely while I changed her diapers. She would even hold her own legs up for me (to cute!). Now that she is 8 months old I have to wrestle her down, hold her legs up and keep her hands out of the way all while trying to wipe "real" poop and then put a prefold AND a cover on her. Most days I feel like I'm a cowgirl roping my calf because of the way I have to hold her down and she's flopping and fussing the whole time.

What to do? Do I give up on my cloth diapers? "Not I!" Says this bull headed ropin' cowgirl.


Instead of giving up it's time for a different strategy. My daughter has been in a size large for three months already and I have a nice collection of prefolds, fitteds, and velcro covers. Some I've bought but most I've sewn.

The Issues:

1. She unvelcro's her covers all day everyday.
2. She has "real" poop from starting on solids instead of runny baby poo.
3. Moves nonstop while changing her.
4. Mr. NtJS want's to go on a date and at the moment the babysitter's can't get her diapers on her right.
5. Grandma's are not tucking the diapers into the covers correctly at the moment so she leaks and they feel horrible.
   

1. We switched to snap covers. So far they seem to work great. She can not get them off and they fit well. Velcro is easy to use but once your little one figures out how much fun it is to play with they just don't work.
   
2. I purchased a roll of Tiny Tush disposable liners. They are 100% biodegradable and safe to use with septic systems. I've used them for a month and so far I really like they. They make cleaning up a drop in the bucket... or toilet in this case!
3. Our last three issues are being solved with one solution. AIO or Pocket diapers. I've stayed way from them before for us they were more expensive since I was not willing to sew them (go ahead and call me chicken I don't mind). However, we need something that works and our current diapering system was not keeping up to par. I purchased a couple used AIO and Pocket diapers off of Diaper Swappers to try. As expected they worked really well and make thing much easier. I only tried snap diapers for obvious reasons and I liked the pockets better because they were easier to dry. The AIO's take longer to dry then everything else. If I was only going to have style of diaper in my rotation then I think I would have went for AIO, but I have a mix.
   

This week we were included on three carnivals and festivals. Another crazy week here on the NtJS ranch. Fear not ReUse It! fans, that camera we were mulling over is on order, and a new ReUse It! post should be up next week.

We are pleased to welcome all new readers, as well as new carnivals to Not the Jet Set. To find out more about us, click here. We are a personal finance blog focused on frugality, stewardship, and current events, while also telling our story as a family and the personal finance decisions we have made. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out our NtJS Cafepress shop!

• Your Finish Rich Plan is plugging air leaks - something I need to address as well.

Letters! We get Letters! We get sacks and sacks of letters! Letterrrrrrrrrrs!

Always an entertaining segment on the Late Show with David Letterman was the CBS Mailbag. They quit doing it years ago, but when I go to get the mail, that theme song starts up in my head. Why? Junk mail. Credit offers. Insurance offers. Free* vacations I somehow won without entering. Catalogs for stores I'd never shopped at. We even started getting these official looking letters informing us that the warranty on one of our cars was about to expire and immediate action was required to continue coverage.

That warranty ran out years ago. I was not fooled by their ruse, but I can see how many would get sucked in. Why do we get all of these letters? Sacks and sacks of letters?


I hadn't opted out. That is, until now.

I'd heard about this many times but just never took the time to do it. The bogus warranty crap pushed me over the edge. But how could those scumbags know that I even owned a car??? The answer is simple.

Pre-screening.

Credit reporting agencies allow businesses to "pre-screen" you before making their offer via mail (oh so personal). I'd like to think that the original intent was somewhat legit, but they pretty much let anyone do it. By pre-screening me, the extended warranty jokers mentioned above could see that I'd had a car loan and what year we'd bought it. Bada-boom, bada-bing. Letter goes out.

Well, now I'm out. Opted out. Ridiculous that it is even something you would have to opt out of, but that's life. Maybe we'll save a couple trees in the process too.

Ready to opt out? Visit the official site, optoutprescreen.com

Have you already done this? How long did it take to notice a difference in your volume of mail?

We're doing a bit of tidying up, so we're moving this off of the mainpage.




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Our blog has been overtaken by the bail out issues lately and this post is also about the bail out. BUT the light at the end of this tunnel is NOT an on coming train!

Dave Ramsey just released . In true Dave style the steps are simple as is the plan he is proposing. Check it out for yourself! If you agree with the plan email it to your Reps and forward it on via email to everyone you know. If you are a blogger... blog it. Let everyone know and make sure to flood your Congressperson's email (today) so that they know how we Americans feel.

I know that some of you are not big Dave fans and that's okay. We are all allowed to our own opinions. But even if you don't like Dave please try to review his plan without bias and do what's right for our Country.

Last week, we were ranting and raving over the government using our tax dollars to bailout dumb corporations (it still hasn't happened yet). The Mrs. and I had differing views on the hows and whys of this funked up economy. And that's ok - it makes for interesting conversation.

One thing that we do agree on here, is that turning things around starts with you.

That's right. You and I hold this country's future in our hands. We can't directly control corporations, unless we happen to sit in the big office with the nice view and have the letters C, E, and O on the door. We can't directly control congress, that is unless when people write your name, they use the prefix Rep. or Sen. What we do have complete control of, is what happens in our own homes. We control the products that come in. We control the money that goes out. When you think about it, we actually do control a lot. And that is what the Patriot Pact is all about.


Mr. and Mrs. have come across the aisle, to jointly sponsor a plan, not for America, but for Americans. A plan to get our own houses in order instead of waiting for Congress to do it. A plan to take back the future of this nation from the lobbyists and special interest groups. A plan for people who are sick of watching things happen, only to wonder, "Why?". A plan that requires no special skills - only the will to do it. My fellow Americans, we give you the Patriot Pact.

The Patriot Pact v0.1

1. I will not buy products solely because they have the lowest price.
2. I will seek out American made products first.
3. I will seek out environmentally friendly products and services first.
   
4. I will shop local first, and national chains second.
5. I will support companies whose morals and values line up with my own.
6. I will live on a budget, avoid debt, and seek to bring peace and simplicity to my finances.
7. I will hold at least one garage sale per year. (It is also acceptable to donate your 'garage sale items' in lieu of holding a sale)
8. I will support charities and non-profit organizations that line up with my morals and values as my income permits. Equal opportunity should be given to both local and national organizations.
9. I will bank with local banks and/or credit unions, instead of mega-banks.
   
10. I will support and/or vote for candidates in touch with the reality of the issues at hand, instead of rhetoric.
    
11. I will only vote when I can make an educated decision about a candidate or issue.
12. I will vote out incumbents who serve their own interests over ours.
13. I will contact my elected officials to inform them of my opinions as needed.
    
14. I will politely encourage friends, family, neighbors and others to consider these points and/or to take the pact as well.