Don't Buy New!

You feel that Government is out of your control? Don’t like how your tax money is being spent? Control what you CAN control; your spending. Why are you buying BRAND NEW stuff and paying the taxes? If consumer spending is three quarters of the American economy, why are we acting like we have no power? 

Legal working American citizens are taxed at close to 1/3 of their incomes. Check the phone bill. Check the electric bill. You still have CABLE? You wanna watch tv? Get an antenna. 

Gasoline is taxed at $.41.9 per gallon in MA ($.62 avg. nationally). Every time you buy something or pay for a service, a percentage of that transaction is tax.  The more you consume, the more they take. That is, if you go to a taxed marketplace.

Yes, it’s your money and if that’s how you want to spend it, great, but quit complaining about your government and the taxes it imposes. You’re not just a slave to fashion; you’re just a slave.

It's time to reduce your "Tax Footprint". 

This is not about denying youself the things in life you want to spite the government, it's the opposite really since you can get what you want but go about it in a fashion that will save you money and deny the taxman any chance you get. So it's time to make those opportunities for yourself, that's the Libertarian way.

The only alternative to the vote we as Americans have is to vote with our feet and go on strike. Why purchase taxed goods when you’re under the gun? It’s called “The Underground Economy” and here’s how you can join:

·         Shop the outlets: No not the trendy high fashion outlets in these big suburban retail clusters but the real outlets that sell direct from the manufacturer. We have one in this area, the VF Factory Outlet, in N. Dartmouth, MA. They have Lee, Vanity Fair, Wrangler, etc. Good clothes, cheap.
 
·         The Internet: Utilize the Internet Marketplace while it’s still tax-free. Many items ship free also.

·         Craigslist: You can find anything here from high-end bikes, washers & dryers, musical instruments; it’s all on there and there's free stuff too. It's the oldest form of consumption; buying from another citizen. This transitions one person’s stuff they no longer use to a person who will use it and get a good portion of their money back rather than not. The Craigslist online market place is a big plus for the frugal consumer. Just think of an item you might want to buy, anything at all and plug it into the search bar. It's a beautiful thing.

·         Thrift/Consignment shops: It’s no secret now but for a long time these places were only frequented by students and starving artists. The Salvation Army stores have good stuff at great prices.

·         Flea Markets: Not like you remember them. With the low overhead, even new clothing, socks, laundry detergent and other sundries can be had cheaply and untaxed. Many entrepreneurial types set up shop there. Where do you think the illegals shop?

·         Out of State: For us in Taxachusetts it’s New Hampshire, of course, where there is no sales tax. Don’t like the beer tax? Next time you’re up that way, stock up. Every little bit helps.

·         The Income Tax: Don’t use the U.S. Government as a savings plan! Declare “1” on your W-2 form. Don’t give the government an interest-free loan by holding onto your money for the whole year. Smarten up!

The major chain stores are stocked to the gills with cheap Chinese goods. They are low priced all right but are also of extremely low quality. Buying better is also buying smarter. Buy what lasts. The alternative to China is India.Indiaproduces higher quality textiles at the same price point. 

I’d like to tell you to look for the “Made in USA” label but that doesn’t happen anymore so look for the “Made in India” tag instead. They also LIKE the USA as opposed to other countries that try to sell us their goods. Why would we buy anything from countries that don’t like us? It makes no sense. 

 

Maybe you can’t change what the government does with your money but you can control how much of it they take and feel better about yourself and our situation. What else do you have to lose? Shop smart and you can keep more of your money in your pocket and not put it into the misguided hand of government.  And if you think about it, you can probably find other places to shop smart in your town. Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.

Good Luck.