The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

I was listening to a work colleague go on about the great deals in the United States she's been getting by frequenting many of those outlet malls. Outside of groceries, almost all of her purchases of clothing, furniture, electronics, etc. are made south of the border. I joked to her she should just move to the USA. "Oh no, I can't do that, I wouldn't be able to stand living there!" She appreciates things such as free health care that Canada provides. But I was thinking to myself, if she spent as little money as she does towards Canadian businesses, is she getting a bit of a free ride? It's not like I've never made a purchase in the United States; sometimes you can get a great deal that otherwise your hometown can't provide. But should I feel guilty about it because I picked up in an Ipod in an American store?

Are we harming our economy when we actively decide not to give our money to a Canadian-based store? Don't we need to do so to make sure we have enough jobs for everyone, that enough taxes are collected for our schools & hospitals by shopping at local area merchants?

Maybe it's not such a big deal, and with the lousy exchange rate I doubt many people are contemplating a Christmas shopping spree in Syracuse any time soon. But still...should I feel bad for looking for the best deal for stuff at an international level?