buy American because they believe
it helps the economy, the same survey found. Store owners agree. “I
wanted to highlight the companies
that kept their factories here in
the U.S.,” explains Norton’s U.S.A.
owner Deborah Leydig, 59, whose
product offering has jumped from
just 80 items in 2007 to nearly
2,000 now (including everything
from lightbulbs to glassware).
Certain foreign goods can cost less
due to cheaper labor, but as Leydig
explains, “My customers really
want to buy American, so they
will pay more if they have to, and
of course they get the American-
made quality as well.”
Some stores are reporting
double-digit sales increases, with
older adults making up more than
half of the customers in some cases.
The Made in America store has
tripled in square footage since
its 2010 opening, and Bert’s All
American Market in Littleton,
Colorado, has quadrupled its prod-
uct mix in about a year and a half.
Plus, the Price of ; Freedom gift
shop in D.C.’s National Museum of
American History now sells only
U.S.-made goods. Can’t visit a local
shop? E-retailers (;like American
Aisle.com and MadeInUSAForever
.com) are easy to find. And you can
always ship your purchases the all-
American way—much appreciated
by the U.S. Postal Service. ;
Need Cash for Health Care? Ask!
Trends
How crowdfunding websites can help you pay for expenses
When Vicki Polin traveled
400 miles to get treatment
for a heart defect, she had
only $200 to her name. She
ultimately needed heart
surgery but had no idea
how she’d afford her co-pay. Then a friend started a
page for her on YouCaring
.com. By the time she was
discharged, her loved
ones, and even strangers,
had donated more than
$1,000. In addition, she
raised about $6,000 in the
next couple of months to
help cover more than $7,000
in related health expenses. “It
literally helped save my life and
was almost as important as
the surgeon who performed
[my] open-heart surgery,”
says the 52-year-old resident
of Greater Chicago.
YouCaring, like other crowdfunding
sites such as GiveForward.com and
Fundly.com, helps users pay bills, allowing givers to securely donate money
(from $1 on up). Many sites connect
user accounts to Twitter and Facebook,
to solicit donations instantly. About
23 percent of GiveForward’s users are
50-plus, along with 35 percent of
YouCaring’s beneficiaries.
Before you start a campaign, first
research each site’s fees and how
quickly funds transfer. (Polin learned
that some sites take up to 7 percent of
donations as a fee, and others transfer
funds only when your goal has been
met.) Also talk with a professional tax
adviser or attorney to confirm how
donations can affect your filing status
or public-assistance standing. After
you start, be open with contributors,
advises Fundly CEO Dave Boyce. And—
regardless of how much you receive—
al ways say thanks. —Kayleigh Kulp
Paint Misbehavin’ Toga parties? That’s so old school. College-age kids now attend Dayglow, a touring DJ show where dance-floor cannons splatter students with gallons of paint. Dancers dress in white, of course, and tickets can cost more than $200. Which doesn’t include dry cleaning. —Kate Faherty Ah, Youth! Sometimes we don’t miss it
