Best Buy Local - My Shopping Conundrum

Seeing as today is considered the biggest shopping day of the year, I thought this would be the most apperpo day to write about my shopping conundrum, also known as my philosophical see-saw. For those of you that know me, you know that when I was pregnant, I posed a challenge to myself...not to buy a single thing in preparation for B's coming at full price. And I did it! I scoured the internet for sales, special deals, and coupons. I timed my purchases just so I could use 20% off coupons on our biggest items that I bought at that well-known Baby Super Store. I stalked Craigslist for some items and purchased others at our local Kiddy consignment store. Yes, I am a self-admitted bargain shopper. And at the same time, I have some strong (and unwavering, as my husband would say) feelings about quality, safety, ecological consciousness, and supporting local businesses.

Philosophically, I would prefer to buy from mom and pop shops, supporting local people and businesses. When it comes to food, I desire to buy locally grown, organic, unprocessed foods. Hence our plan to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in the coming Spring. I not only feel better about eating those foods and feeding healthy and whole foods to my family, but I also believe in supporting our local economy. I hate that when I look at the tag on just about every baby item, or any item for that matter, it reads, "made in China." Having read one too many articles on human trafficking and modern day slavery (to learn more, check out http://www.freetheslaves.net/), and thus developing an awareness of the hideous working conditions and obscenely low wages paid in most foreign manufacturing plants, it pains me to buy things that are made in those countries. And not to mention the safety concerns that I have with buying toys that are made in China, lead paint and all.

So, herein lies my conundrum, I'm trying to be a value shopper while at the same time, living out my values. This proves to be no easy task. Take the purchase of my stroller, for example. This was probably the biggest baby purchase we made, as all my mom friends had advised me saying, if you're going to splurge on one item, make it your stroller, it'll be your lifeline as a mom. So, that is exactly what I did, I bought myself a B.O.B. stroller and I LOVE, with a capital L-O-V-E it, no regrets. However, when it came to that purchase, on one hand, I really wanted to support my favorite local baby store, Real Baby (http://realbabyinc.com/), with this purchase. On the other hand, there was a 20% off sale on all B.O.B. strollers at the outdoor behemoth, whose name I won't mention, but whose initials rhyme with 'bar see pie!' So, therein lay my dilemma...at "Bar See Pie," I could get 20% off, plus add a hefty amount to my dividend of 10% back on all purchases, that you get for being a member of "Bar See Pie." And at Real Baby, I would have had to pay full price, no bonuses or dividends. What's a mom on a budget to do? With some shame, I must tell you, I bought the stroller at "Bar See Pie." And every so often, I stop in at Real Baby to pick up a baby gift for someone or a toy for Ben, one that is not made in China.

When Ben arrived, I quit my full-time job, so that I could stay at home with him, a decision that I have absolutely no regrets about. I love being home with Ben. And even though I am still working part-time as a therapist with my own counseling practice, it is very part-time, so we basically went from 2 salaries down to one, and that has lead to a severe tightening of the purse strings, if you will. So now, I find myself challenged to stick to an even tighter budget while still trying to hold true to my consumption values. So far, I have to take things on a case by case basis. When it comes to some things, I assuage my thrifty side, and for other things, usually food items or baby toys, I splurge on items that are locally grown or made and that uphold a quality that I can feel good about. I think I found my Utopia in cloth diapers! By using cloth diapers and wipes, I am saving bucket-loads of money, while providing B's bum with quality assurance, and in washing them myself, limiting my contribution to the landfills. But when it comes to most other products, it seems you pay more for the eco-friendly, locally grown, locally made items.

Please know that this post isn't an attempt to mount some kind of moral high horse, but rather my attempt to share with you an authentic struggle that comes in to play nearly every day. So, how do I balance different values and do what's best for my family when it comes to buying. In a nutshell, it's the battle of financial values vs. philosophical ones. And as it turns out, today, on this Black Friday, what's best for my family is to stay home with them and not spend a dime!

For all you moms (and dads) out there that can relate to my conundrum and my Best Buy Local struggle, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts, opinions, and ideas, particularly those related to how you balance your buying philosophies and balance getting the best buy with buying local.