I so want to SPEND that check

**itlw8** · 05-19-2008, 11:51 AM

I keep coming up with ways to spend that check we will soon get... ALL are great ideas and would save us money IF we did not have cc debt.

new windows..... new deep freeze... new tankless water heater... All of these are great ideas.. but dang I need to be strongI keep telling myself be smart then you can do all that next year......

How are you staying strong or are you ? will you spend it or pay off debt?

I suppose even paying off debt I am stimulating the economy just not as fast... no debt means LATER I can spend but wisely.

**DAAC3DEC** · 05-19-2008, 11:58 AM

It is really hard, I know, in the beginning we decided to put it all on debt....well now we are to, pay off one card, put back what we took out of the emergency fund, and play with a tiny ammount of it. That is where we are at................I haven't touched any of but to transfer what I took out of the emergency fund cause I want to think long and hard on it..........it is just difficult to be smart and do what you should do...........

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-19-2008, 12:16 PM

I want to spend it too. But I have to be strong and pay down the debt. I am so close to being debt free I can smell it.....

**Jskell911** · 05-19-2008, 12:42 PM

We filed separately, so one check pays off hospital bills and the other buys a new bulkhead.

**hippytreehugger4ever** · 05-19-2008, 12:44 PM

We're saving ours to put down towards the downpayment on a house. The original plan was to pay off medical bills and to put some towards DH's Mac tool credit card and his Sears card, but I just started a part time job where we actually got to pay both medical bills AND the Sears card off in full

Now we just owe about $2,200 on the Mac (dh had to use it when he got out of school to buy the tools he needed for his job), just over $200 on the credit card that I'll pay off next payday, and about 6,700 left on his student loan (we've already payed off over 9,000 of it in the last 2 years!!!)

**FrugalMomof3** · 05-19-2008, 01:00 PM

We are saving ours in a interest savings acct. I know I personally wont touch it unless un-forseen circumstances arise.

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-19-2008, 01:15 PM

I can just imagine the excitement!
It's like free money!

Wait! I'm not getting anything.

Hang in there. Pay off the debt.

You know what is a better feeling that the anticipation of getting that check? Being able to pay cash for what you want. AND! not have to pay interest on the item that is already overpriced anyway.

THAT'S the BEST feeling ever.

I'm talking... you have the cash to pay for the windows, the siding the kitchen redo. It will only happen if you eliminate that debt and use your real money.

**HandyMom** · 05-19-2008, 03:10 PM

I just got mine ($600). It's already half spent on medical bills. The rest is going to savings for emergency or medical bills. I'm not stimulating anything but my own savings! Wish I could go spending.

**Spark** · 05-19-2008, 03:42 PM

This was the first year our tax return didn't go to already spent debt and it felt sooooo good! We did get a fairly large payment for a gas lease and although it killed me, I put almost half into a 9 month CD because I'm not sure how it will effect our taxes next year, on top of this tax stimulus and all. If we do have to pay next year, we'll have the funds and if we don't, we have our own nice fat tax return and I'll be somewhat stress free

Keep paying off the debt. Set a little aside for a nice dinner out or something small you need for the house but keep chugging along.

We are stimulating the local economy somewhat. We are getting a new roof.

**warramra** · 05-19-2008, 03:50 PM

We always have a long list of what we can do with any extra money. Originally I was going to throw half of it on my car loan and half into savings, but instead used the majority to buy DH a used car to use for his commute (hopefully saving us about $200 in gas a month) and the rest to put up new gutters before our foundation is destroyed. We are still expecting some other money in the next month and that will go into savings and toward the car loan.

**FrugalWitch** · 05-19-2008, 09:25 PM

We have 0 debt, but we are putting the entire check into savings.

**jamie79** · 05-19-2008, 10:16 PM

We were good and paid a bill

**MomToTwoBoys** · 05-19-2008, 10:37 PM

I'm jealous. I want free money.

**pita1213** · 05-20-2008, 07:43 PM

ours is sitting in the bank for now. we are trying to buy a house so it is gonna sit in case we need it for moving or house related expenses. the tax return we got back in feb went to pay off our van so that's one debt paid off. if we don't use the stimulus check for moving, i'll move it to savings for when we do need it.

**Jenna** · 05-20-2008, 10:00 PM

Mine is gone with the wind. Used to help with moving costs and other incidentals....

Now, if only my former landlord would cough up our security deposit.