Refund Checks

The thing I don't fully understand, is what would people do if they didn't get the rebate check at all- if the government never did it. I've seen lots of blogs about folks who are complaining about the high gas and groceries and utilities, but drive gas-guzzling trucks or SUVs, don't shut lights off in their house when leaving a room, don't turn the thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer, and like to eat out for lunch and/or dinner several times a week. When things get tight money wise, you have to budget more carefully, belt-tighten and cut out the $3 coffees and danishes. I've been through rough times and got through it without filing for bankruptcy on less than $10,000 a year (before taxes).

You can't use a one time check from the government to pay for necessities like gas and food. What are you going to do next month when the government isn't giving the checks out anymore? Just like you can't use a one time surplus in a state government to give teachers in the state a well-deserved raise- they'd have a shortfall the following year.

I'm just trying to understand people- I have several co-workers who are struggling financially yet buy breakfast, lunch and dinner (instead of making dinner), drive gas guzzling cars and put everything on credit cards. I'm not saying all are like this, but when times are tough you have to re-evalulate your budget and look at where all your money is going, down to the last nickel. You will be amazed at what you can cut out.

I'd much prefer them to eliminate federal waste, stop unnecessary programs, and reduce taxes than get a stimulus check.

As far as I'm concerned you are 100% right. Everyone should be responsible for their own financial security. It kills me to hear people talk about not having enough money for health insurance, or enough to save for retirement, or whatever. It's all about choices, & most people make the wrong ones with their finances.

When I used to run a plumbing business I plumbed a lot of custom homes. On almost every job the homeowners would walk around talking about how expensive it was to build. I can't count the number of times I heard "I just don't know how we're going to pay for this". It kind of made me want to scream, especially when I looked in the driveway & saw his & hers $40,000, year old vehicles. Then you take into account that they were building a 3500 sq/ft(or bigger)home, for 2 adults & 1 child. What are these people thinking, living paycheck to paycheck just to keep up with the Jones, who probably aren't happy anyway.

Mycrob, you hit the nail square on the head. We all want nice cars, a big house, big vacations every year, a 1913 Liberty nickel, a maid and a butler but lets face it--we don't got the cash! Its time to tighten our national belts before things get REALLY bad. Trade in the Explorer and get a Toyota. Get two Double Cheeseburgers instead of the Quarterpounder. Change the oil yourself. Do some roll searching instead of buying that elusive 1951S Nickel. Quit getting "Triple Venti non-fat, no-foam Vanilla Latte" and start brewing your coffee at home.

The stimulus plan I think will do more harm than good in the long run. It will boast things temporarily (at least into november elections...) but printing up $1,800,000,000 (give or take) out of thin air will do nothing to solve our monetary problem. Inflation will rise, prices will go up, jobs will be lost, homes will be foreclosed, and the nation will scratch its collective head "I don't understand it? Things were so good not to long ago" These thoughts, and actions, are happening right now but will soon stop as the stimulus kicks in. They will return shortly and we'll come up with a way to delay utter collapse once more. It become the "Western Way".

We always have a solution, but never an answer

I too am in the minority. I don't need that money, I am fiscally responsible, very responsible. If the govt is giving out money I am NOT going to reject my share, but I think it was a terrible idea in the first place.

So many questions about whether it will stimulate the economy. Some will send the money overseas, doesn't stimulate the US economy. Some will save it, doesn't stimulate the economy. Some will pay off debt, sort of stimulates the economy. Much that is spent will be spent on products made overseas which doesn't do much for the American economy (except for Walmart, where the Chinese products were probably purchased). All told, mostly a waste of our (American) money.

Does anyone remember that bridge in Minnesota that collapsed during rush hour? Remember how much stink the engineers made about our aging infrastructure? Does any of this make any sense? I think the govt should have used the money to hire American workers to use American steel to fix the American infrastructure. Wanna use a stimulus package to stimulate the American economy, this'll do it. Oh yeah, it has the secondary consequences of getting something done rather than pay for some extravagances people don't need.

Sorry to disagree Jays-Dad, but if the government kept the cash it would likely go toward the "Bridge to Nowhere" instead of one that needed repair. Fortunately for us it's an election year and the money is needed to butter up the voters and not pay off the special interests.

My $1800 will go toward central AC in my house. My coins and my pregnant wife will both be better off with it. In true government form, I may also divert some money away into the collecting budget for that GSA Morgan I've been waiting to buy.

Wow I love to see when when post gos a little off topic. It makes for some interesting reading. the rebate thing is a joke especially when the money was borrowed from the Saudis and Chinese Banks. I'm only 45 years old but I do remember this not the first election year the economy is in the dumps. But some how we always find away to fix and not solve the problem. Heard on the news that since the price of corn and rice is going up the African children are dieing from starvation and funny thing is that the videos of the stock piles of food in the UN warehouses of the tons of bags of corn all had American flags on them. and how much did Bush invest to help solve the AIDS problem there? (One final rant)One of the presidential candidates that might be elected is for change for the people Personally I think the only change we will see is what is left in our pockets and our coin collection's||(Back on Topic) Will not see my check until May the 18th but Ive all ready did some pre. spending of it last week my coin dealer just bought some Buffalo nickles and Silver Washington quarter collections Ive been filling holes like a (drunken sailor on sore leave) last Thursday and today I spent $98. So much for the 1/2 and 20 cent piece I was going to get.

Seeking: More trips to the coin store

Rainman

^^the entire Federal Income Tax is illegal my friend, not to mention the IRS and the Fed Reserve....


But as a friend of mine said the other day "Nothing is illagal for them anymore"