
Ask HN: How do I minimize money to China? - Uhuhreally
How do I minimize how much of my money goes to China ? Is there any tech manufactured in the EU&#x2F;USA ?
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corodra
A majority of stuff, don't buy "disposable". As in, buy things of high
quality, typically from other countries. While lots of people claim that's
harsher on your finances. It's not in the long run.

The following story is my mental model for long term savings when I first
moved out and realized how to help to save money. When my parents moved to
America 30+ years ago, they bought a pretty pricey hand can opener from
Germany for around $15 (1980s money). They still own it. To this day. I have a
USA one that cost me like $20 about ten or so years ago. Still own it. I have
friends who buy a new $1-$5 chinese one from Walmart every year because they
keep breaking or dull out to uselessness. While that might seem silly/frugal.
If you're replacing stuff constantly, you're dumping lots of potential
spending money. I apply the same mentality with everything I buy. Buy quality
so you buy it once. Not cheap shit every year. Be aware of what you buy. The
more aware you are, the less you actually end up needing to buy.

Tech is a hard one. But is still doable. I'm looking at most of the brands
around me right now, it's all either Korean or Japanese. Some parts are from
China. Even if the brand is Korean or Japanese, they still do a lot of
manufacturing with China. But oh well. It's the nature of the global economy.
Same with a good amount of computer parts. You'll have a bunch of the
commodity parts and pieces for boards made in China, then other stuff in other
countries, with assembly in the USA or elsewhere. Sometimes it's Taiwan
though, which is a separate nation.

You gotta do legwork and research on your own. Not everything is made in China
that's available in the USA. I find it weird that people think they can't
avoid chinese products. I never actually "avoided" Chinese made anything. I
just happen to avoid it because I go for mid-tier products so I never have to
rebuy most of my stuff. Like, I eat sardines a lot. Go to that section in
walmart or any other grocery store. You'll find China, Poland, Canada, USA and
German sourced sardines. All side by side.

~~~
bfung
My parents came to the US back in the 80s, and as a ethnically Chinese family,
growing up, we actively avoided buying made in China products, especially
food. The conventional wisdom at the time was that US has a FDA to scan for
quality, China didn't. Not sure what the situation is now, but pretty sure
food inspections in China are granted by who's paid off the inspectors.

Over the years, things like this happened to serve as anecdotal data points:

* [https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2013-feb-28-la-fg-china...](https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2013-feb-28-la-fg-china-baby-formula-20130301-story.html) * [https://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/jul/02/cross-border-b...](https://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/jul/02/cross-border-buying-shopping-bargains-globalisation)

lots more in other articles that are google-able.

~~~
muzani
I once shared some posts similar to this about Chinese counterfeit food.
American friends scoffed, saying that it's just another conspiracy theory.
Malaysian friends agreed with it completely. I think a lot of people sort of
take the FDA for granted.

I did have a startup in the food industry for a while. We had to constantly
cut off suppliers for counterfeit goods. One asked us what our budget was and
offered a cheaper "AAA alternative" (code work for counterfeit).

A friend left the honey trading business because it became too troublesome to
keep track - suppliers would mix a little sugar water into it, which they
could tell, but customers couldn't. Things like stevia or milk often had a
little water added on. As much as we blacklist companies that add water to
'fresh milk' they're top sellers because of the lower price. Parmesan is also
commonly counterfeited and mixed with MSG or something.

I'm not sure American goods are much better, but at least everything is what
it says on the label.

------
undefined3840
Just don’t buy anything unless you have to.

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badrabbit
That just hurts your local economy.

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undefined3840
I feel no guilt over living a minimalist lifestyle...

~~~
badrabbit
That'a fine but more people spending less affects the whole economy,less
jobs,less tax revenue more social instability,etc... Everything is good in
moderation?

