The government’s attempt to give you an early tax refund (even if you don’t need one) which they’re calling ‘economic stimulation’ is a farce for the most part: I may get $600.00 for my family, but I’ll be paying it back in my quarterly taxes. Oh, boy! Here’s a list of things that will not stimulate the economy and bust the intended use for the checks:
- Stick the check in the bank
- Pay the check back to the government as a quarterly tax payment the following quarter
- Pay credit card debt (and not regain that debt on the card)
- Go on an international spending spree
- Buy Anime on eBay… from Japan
- Frame the check and put it on your mantle like the head of a dead dear
- Give it to a charity that will buy goats for Haitians
- Invest in lead testing kits for the Chinese toys your children have
- Drive to Canada and buy cheap meds
- Use it to move to Canada where their looney money is worth more
What are you going to do that’s financially wise, but not necessarily intended by the Gov’t.?
How about “Finally get that Plastic Surgery you always wanted.. in Mexico”
Funny, before reading your blog, my wife was just reading about this check and telling me about it. Apparently, we’ll get somewhere between $600 and $2,000. I for one am all about getting this check and spending it…on what I probably would have spent my own money anyway.
Chris, just be aware of the tax implications: its an ‘early refund’ and if you weren’t going to get a tax refund, you’ll just owe the IRS more money come April 15th.
Randy, I thought the checks were’nt going to be issued till May?
Sure, but once the checks are issued in May… you’ll have to pay them back in April 2009 (or sooner). So don’t be fooled by their generosity.
I’m going with #3. Drop it into the bucket of my unsecured debt. I think the stimulus checks from back in 2001 (Or was it 2002?) did help the economy. But this time I think it’s a huge waste. The economic challenges are different now. I think most folks pay off debt, or if they’re in mortgage trouble, they’ll use them there. I’m totally against this package.
It’s like stealing from the blind to give to the blind. I plan on signing mine over to the govt in the form of a tax payment – not even cashing it, just sending it in signed on the back, with my tax bill. “Here’s that $600 you sent me, take it off the balance of the money you are stealing from me.”
Plus – if we all spend the money and Douche… I mean bush – gets to go down in history as a dude that made the economy better rather than as the crap machine that bankrupted a nation.
How can anyone fall for this, this is money that is OURS in the first place – they took it from us, and now were supposed to jump up and down clapping because they gave it back?! I feel sorry for people that are too limp minded to comprehend the truth. If you spend that money the way the man tells you to, that puts us one step closer to working full time and being given an allowance.
The IRS is an illegal organization – shut it down.