Too little to late for the economy, but we will get a rebate

[pixelthis]

So its christmas time for grownups (and groundbeef)
We are getting a rebate check, 600 for individuals, 1200 for people with a ball and chain.
So if the boss lets you, what are you buying with yours?
Some new cable? A blu player?
Putting it towards a new monitor?
Or blowing it on something stupid like paying bills or savings?
Inquiring pixelateds want to know

[GMichael]

So its christmas time for grownups (and groundbeef)
We are getting a rebate check, 600 for individuals, 1200 for people with a ball and chain.
So if the boss lets you, what are you buying with yours?
Some new cable? A blu player?
Putting it towards a new monitor?
Or blowing it on something stupid like paying bills or savings?
Inquiring pixelateds want to know

We'll see. Right now it would go into the savings to see how our money issues work out over the next couple of months. After the dust clears, we'll see where all the balls land.

[JSE]

We'll see. Right now it would go into the savings to see how our money issues work out over the next couple of months. After the dust clears, we'll see where all the balls land.

Your the government's worst nightmare. You want to save it.

This should be a free pass for anyone who gets the rebate to spend it all! You can tell your wife that it's your duty as US citizens to spend the rebate to help the economy.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I need a new fence.

[JSE]

I need a new fence.

Me to, between Brownsville and the California Coast.

JSE takes cover........

[GMichael]

Your the government's worst nightmare. You want to save it.

This should be a free pass for anyone who gets the rebate to spend it all! You can tell your wife that it's your duty as US citizens to spend the rebate to help the economy.

Right now is just a bad time. I'd gladly spend it if I could. Give me a month. I'll know better then.

[Groundbeef]

Right now is just a bad time. I'd gladly spend it if I could. Give me a month. I'll know better then.

Still paying off the Christmas party bar bill? I thought I sent a check to help defray the cost. Musta been lost in the mail. Huh.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I thought I sent a check to help defray the cost. Musta been lost in the mail. Huh.

How do you think I paid for my new receiver?

[GMichael]

Still paying off the Christmas party bar bill? I thought I sent a check to help defray the cost. Musta been lost in the mail. Huh.

I wish it was just overspending for Christmas. Our mortgage company didn't pay our builders all that they were due. So now we get hit with the balance. $27,000 may be nothing for some, but it's a huge chunk for us.

This rebate will only soften the blow of another closing charge.

[Rich-n-Texas]

We may have a loophole, but not sure if we are willing to screw over these nice people.

Being kind and good natured doesn't win you first place GM, not in this greed driven society in which we live. Dog eat dog and all that.

[GMichael]

Being kind and good natured doesn't win you first place GM, not in this greed driven society in which we live. Dog eat dog and all that.

We are not looking to finish first. It's nice to win, but in the end, we need to be able to live with ourselves. It would eat us up inside every day knowing that we screwed over someone who didn't deserve it. But if they were to give us a hard time about splitting the closing costs... we'll see.

[Woochifer]

Personally, I would've preferred that this rebate money get invested into other areas. With the housing market and new home construction collapsing in a big way, I think the bigger economic benefit would've been to use the money allocated to these rebates towards infrastructure and other major capital improvement projects, many of which have been languishing under state and federal budget cuts. That helps to offset the construction sector job losses and addresses long-term needs. Unfortunately, this idea is way too logical for the politicos in Washington.

The way that a consumer rebate like this stimulates the economy is if people (and businesses) spend it right away. Problem is that consumers are not going to turn around and spend their entire rebate checks right away. And even if 100% of the rebate checks go to consumption spending, the benefits of that spending are not nearly as big as they should be because we now import so much of what we buy at retail.

I hear the examples of helping the economy by buying a "big screen TV" with that rebate check. But, the problem here is that the economic benefit to the American economy with TVs is limited to retailers. The manufacturing and higher value added activity associated with that TV all takes place overseas or in Mexico. At the very least, if people want to ensure that this rebate benefits the American economy, then they should make sure that any big ticket items purchased with that rebate check are actually made here.

Other people interviewed in different articles have indicated that they would use it to pay off debt -- a laudable endeavor, but not something that results in a short-term economic stimulus; or save it -- again, something more Americans should do that does not have any short-term economic stimulus effect.

Make no mistake, if the government wants to give me a $1,200 check with no strings attached (other than saddling more debt onto my daughter and her children), I'll take it. In the end, that money will probably wind up going into my daughter's college fund. But, as a matter of policy, this is just a bone-headed and politically driven action that doesn't help the economy nearly as much as a short-term economic stimulus should.

[Groundbeef]

I was planning to spend the money on loose women, and cheap booze, but then my wife caught wind. Now I am planning on taking a 2 week vacation in the summer with the family.

[GMichael]

I was planning to spend the money on loose women, and cheap booze, but then my wife caught wind. Now I am planning on taking a 2 week vacation in the summer with the family.

At least that would keep the money in the USA. Well, maybe not.

[Woochifer]

At least that would keep the money in the USA. Well, maybe not.

Well, it's a stimulus, just not the economic variety (especially if he's trippin' to corporate tax shelter havens like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, or Liberia)!

[Groundbeef]

At least that would keep the money in the USA. Well, maybe not.

Yep, all in the US. Going to Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, Tetons, and then Breckenridge.

Thank God she got me a Garmin (GPS) for Christmas!

[meltdown]

Well well well.....let see, 1200 buckeroo's, kids are out of school, on there own, house is paid for, what else, ahhhhh, nothin. Iam goin to spend that money sooooo fast the bills are going to catch fire from air friction. VPI here I come.

[L.J.]

I was planning to spend the money on loose women, and cheap booze, but then my wife caught wind.

What? You saying your wife has a problem with that

[Monkey Mouse]

Unfortunately I make too much to qualify for the rebate.....

I would have just put the $600 into my mutual fund account anyway...... no spendy

[meltdown]

Lucky for me, that my wife does'nt make much as an exotic dancer so it put me under the 174 G's to qualify. Consider yourself ahead by not be married.