Yeah - I can't agree that spending more will help our economy either...
especially not spending at big discount stores like Wal-Mart or Target...

Yes, technically those places create jobs, but they are low paying, often benefit-less jobs that cannot support a family.... If you buy from those places you are mostly sending your money overseas and into the pockets of the few very rich people who own those companies (or at very least large amounts of their stock...)

That we no longer have much real manufacturing in this country is a more of the problem... we don't make what we buy any more, which means fewer jobs that require a skill and pay better. If you really feel you should buy something to support the economy at least try to find something that was made here and buy it from a local small business.