Mother Talkers

Government Rebate Checks Go Out

by Elisa

Tue May 13, 2008 at 11:34:10 AM PDT

How will you spend your "stimulus" rebate check? Will you go out and spend it as our dear prez has encouraged us to? Or, will you do irresponsible things like pay off your debt or horde it in a savings account?

Of course, the businesses President Bush is intent on helping with these checks, hope you do the former. In fact, they have wasted no time in busting out their parasitic marketing pitches for your government rebate, according to the New York Times.

Sears has started a “stretch your stimulus check” campaign. Supervalu, the grocery chain, is promoting a “watch your refund grow” program, and Kroger is calling its stimulus gift cards “a powerful new financial tool.” All three companies offer shoppers a 10 percent bonus if they buy a gift card with their checks.

Domino’s Pizza is also offering a “recession-busting” special of three pizzas for $12. “While you’re feeding the economy with your special refund check, let it feed you back,” the company said in a news release promoting the offer. Home Depot is encouraging customers to buy energy-efficient products, like compact fluorescent bulbs, to save money.

Ironically, market behemoths Wal-Mart and RadioShack are the reluctant vultures in this article.

  • ::

“A lot of people probably have high-cost debt they need to pay off with this money,” said Jean Ann Fox, director of financial services at the Consumer Federation of America. “And if you’ve tied up your stimulus check in a card that can only be used at one store, you can’t do that...”

Some companies are frowning at their competitors’ efforts.

Stephen Quinn, Wal-Mart Stores’ chief marketing officer, said he was skeptical of any offers that required shoppers to commit their checks to a gift card for just one store.

“Anything that locked in their money at one store is not appropriate” for Wal-Mart, he said. “Putting $600 on my gift card greatly enhances the chances that you will spend the money with my store. But we do not want to encourage any behavior that might be considered irresponsible.”

Wal-Mart and RadioShack are offering to cash checks, a program aimed at customers who have no bank accounts. Wal-Mart’s check-cashing service is free. RadioShack’s requires a purchase, and the unspent balance of the check goes onto a prepaid MasterCard that can be used elsewhere.

RadioShack executives said they had decided against a gift-card program.

“It just seemed like that was not right,” said Bob Kilinski, a senior marketing executive at the retailer.

You think? Honestly, I don't foresee our rebate going anywhere other than the necessities: the mortgage and groceries. Sorry, dear president. What about you? Where will your rebate go?

Tags: stimulus rebate checks, government rebate checks, Sears, Domino's Pizza, Supervalu, Wal-Mart, RadioShack (all tags)

Permalink | 75 comments

  • Obama (0 / 0)

    I think Obama will be getting our rebate money (even though we've already contributed).  I don't want to take anything given to us by this administration.

    by Treena on Tue May 13, 2008 at 11:40:25 AM PDT

    • you are my hero (0 / 0)

      I wish I had that resolve

      by lilianna28 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:11:27 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • Word (0 / 0)

      I don't want to take anything given to us by this administration.

      Ours is going into our children's savings accounts where it will earn interest. So take that BushCo and the rest of the capitalist pigs mentioned in this diary (WalMart, Kroger, Sears, etc.)

      by GiGi on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:13:07 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • Thank You! (0 / 0)

      Your support for Obama means the world to me. His support for Veterans, early childhood education, the environment, making college more affordable, and ending the war are issues most important to me.

      I am a disabled veteran and I have been doing all I can to get Obama elected. I was injured before the war and even then it took over a year to get my VA benefits. I lived on $600 per month for that entire year and if I hadn't had family to turn to I would have been homeless.

      I have given money to the Obama campaign and I have made phone calls, organized events, and spoken to friends and family about the importance of ending the Bush error. I just hope that others realize how bad a McCain Presidency would be for the country. Even if they are disappointed Hillary didn't get the nomination they need to vote for Obama to protect women and children.

      If McCain is elected, the Supreme Court will be stacked with extreme conservatives that will take away women's and civil rights. Please support Obama so we don't have another 4 years of 19 year olds coming home in coffins.

      Stephanie Schiff Virginia Beach, VA Bush made me a Democrat, Obama made me a believer!

      by StephSchiff on Thu May 15, 2008 at 01:25:19 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Hopefully, we'll be able to use (0 / 0)

    the money to help us take the kids on at least a short vacation this summer.  We're doing a lot of work around the house, too, and you know how that always ends up costing more than you planned.

    by tjb22 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 11:52:14 AM PDT

  • Straight to savings. (0 / 0)

    We're saving up for a house, but we've been contributing very little to our savings account as it gets harder and harder to make ends meet every month. So that's where our "stimulus" is going...and hopefully we will buy a home in 2009.

    by Erika on Tue May 13, 2008 at 11:52:49 AM PDT

  • Some bills, some charity (0 / 0)

    I'm thinking about giving some of it to the school, though it will be a drop in the bucket compared the shortfall we're looking at from the state, and I will also contribute to our local community park, which just had a groundbreaking ceremony. Basically the local community decided we were tired of not having a park, so the Grange sold a dilapidated old building and bought a vineyard adjacent to the school that is going to become our new community park, with a building for the afterschool program and community meetings, a playground, etc. It will be nice to have some public space where people can meet.

    And then with the rest of it I'll buy hay for our animals, which I expect to go up dramatically this year.

    Oh, and the health insurance went up by a nice spike. Happy birthday to DH.

    It is only the first half of May, and already the water is looking short. I accidentally ran our second well dry this week. I expect that in August/September/October. Not in May, when it should still be raining. Our garden is in - but I'm worried that it will all be for nothing if we can't get it water. So maybe I'll end up spending that rebate check several times over to improve our water resources.

    Keep in mind, my property has year-round surface water, so if I'm worried now, everyone downstream of me in northern California is going to have a tough ride. I'm glad today that I'm not a farmer depending on that water to pay my mortgage.

    by shenanigans on Tue May 13, 2008 at 11:56:35 AM PDT

    • By the way (0 / 0)

      This is the first occasion where I haven't been resentful that all our taxes are filed under DH's SSN, since his last two digits are far lower than mine. :-)

      But the whole thing is just so silly, and yes, I think I'll be sending some of ours to Obama as well.

      Of course, what they want you to do is to spend it several times over. So easy to do when you anticipate money. They want you to think about paying your bills with it, which gives you a good warm fuzzy feeling of security, and so before you even have the check in hand you're thinking that you're better off and that the bills are paid, and then when the check does put a bulge in your bank account, or maybe even before, you'll mentally spend it AGAIN on something else.

      So instead I plan to just give it away to organizations shorted by the government. Keeps me from feeling inappropriately flush.

      by shenanigans on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:07:34 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • water worries (0 / 0)

      I hear you, Shenanigans. Insecurity over water supply is such a strange feeling; brings a weird paranoia to the sustainability question. Not like, should I buy this bamboo fabric tee shirt because it's more sustainable than cotton, but rather, holy mother of god, are we going to have enough water to keep crops growing?

      What are you looking at doing? Are water tanks a big thing in CA? I totally recommend rainwater harvesting; our tanks have been wonderful.

      by Rachel on Tue May 13, 2008 at 03:37:06 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Ok, dumb question (0 / 0)

        I'm in for putting in these tanks, but I've been wondering something ever since you wrote about yours. If there is no rain, what's going to be harvested? I imagine you have months on end of no rain, like we do here.

        And do you like yours enough to recommend the same kind or same company?

        by RachelD on Tue May 13, 2008 at 04:24:26 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • that is the problem (0 / 0)

          if there's no rain, there's nothing to harvest. And that is a huge problem in summer for farmers; they've got nothing. But for a small urban garden, it's a different story. I have 440 litres of rain tank storage capacity (that's about 100 gallons, give or take). Since one litre equals 1,000 cubic millimeters, it only takes about a centimeter of rain (about a third of an inch) falling on my roof to fill the tanks. The amount of water I have will water my garden for about a month.

          The other thing one can do is harvest greywater - ie, stuff coming out of showers and laundry. If you have a proper filter that cleans out the various soaps and contaminants (and if you use the low-phosphate, environmentally friendly soaps), you can put that into the garden as well, or pipe it into your house to flush your toilets and such. I'd love to do this as well, but the plumbing configuration of our townhouse is too tight to fit it in.

          by Rachel on Tue May 13, 2008 at 04:31:02 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          • Thanks (0 / 0)

            I didn't realize it was so efficient to fill up a tank. I think for our garden (smallish suburban size, with many low water plants), I like your idea of using the greywater. That makes a lot of sense.

            We just got our instant hot water pump installed in our master bath - I love it. No more gallons down the drain every morning waiting for hot water. And this is the cool part - they put wireless buttons in our other bathrooms, so that the pump can be activated from those bathrooms, too,  on an as-needed basis. Who knew there was such a thing.

            by RachelD on Tue May 13, 2008 at 10:59:52 PM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            • I love instant hot water (0 / 0)

              we had that in our flat in London. DH and I have vowed that when our hot water heater kicks the bucket (not that we want it to kick the bucket, please God!), we're going to replace it with the instant type.

              With graywater, you can always drain it straight off of the washing machine. It's annoying, as you either have to truck buckets from your laundry to the garden, or you have to buy a hose attachment long enough to stretch into the garden, but I did it all last summer and I kept my garden green and verdant.

              Re: harvesting efficiency: the other thing to note is that I live in a townhouse; we harvest from approximately 87sq meters. If you have a nice-sized house and if your tank(s) is(are) connected to more than one downpipe, you can collect a lot more. 440l gallons is not a lot of water, although sufficient for our needs. They're very small tanks. People with larger houses and backyards have got 1000-3000 litre tanks, which is tons more water. I think Aussieyank has tanks in her backyard; maybe she'll chime in with her experience.

              Whatever you can do, with recycling or harvesting, is a boon and contributes to sustainable living. So good luck!

              by Rachel on Tue May 13, 2008 at 11:18:18 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              • Yes.... (0 / 0)

                But we're also getting a lot more rain than you! It hasn't stopped raining here for a week now... We get four months of rain, and then nothing at all for eight.

                My tanks are bigger...and our roof is bigger. We can collect enough water to almost make it through the summer season. However...I have a native garden. The only things that suck water are my small veggie patch (which is sheet mulched and water retaining),and my fruit trees (which are also planted in special water retaining soil).

                My daughter's school has gone waterwise this year. They have two huge tanks, waterless urinals, and various other water saving things around the school. I've been very impressed by just how little mains water they actually use!

                by aussieyank on Wed May 14, 2008 at 02:18:16 AM PDT

                [ Parent ]

                • waterwise schools (0 / 0)

                  that's huge here in Victoria as well - the primary school around the corner from us (which I'm assuming/hoping will be Jess's school) has three massive tanks in the back of the yards. Really awesome. Also, have you noticed that Bunnings (the local equivalent to Home Depot for you non-residents) have started using tanks and recycling their water as well? Our local Bunnings does.

                  I am definitely keen on planting water-wise plants; as the camillias and magnolias die off, I'm replacing them with natives and such. But I also mulch like nobody's business.  This year, I'm switching to sugar cane mulch - makes more sense than using chipbark. I also use those water crytals, too - the ones that soak up excess. But only on the ornamentals; I can't find one that is totally non-toxic, and I'm not comfortable with putting "low-toxic" around my veg!

                  by Rachel on Wed May 14, 2008 at 03:43:52 PM PDT

                  [ Parent ]

      • I have SUCH an irrational fear... (0 / 0)

        ...of running out of water.  Living in DC, we have nothing close to your problem, but whenever we have a serious drought, I get subconsciously stressed out about running out of water.  I'd be a basket case if I lived where you do!

        Of course, the past FOUR days of torrential rain has raise the river flow to something like 1300% of normal flow for this time of year, so they have declared our 11-month drought officially over.  I can relax, now.

        by tessajp on Tue May 13, 2008 at 08:16:14 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      • I want to add rainwater harvesting (0 / 0)

        but it's a significant investment to get a level that makes any difference. We tend to get our rain all at one time of the year, so it has to be stored for a while. We have a tank for our main water supply fed by our well - it's a big tank (2500 gallons), and it cost around $1200. I could use three of those, fed off of gutters that come off our existing roofs. Guttering the roofs is non-trivial, because most of them are simple sheet metal without a lot of structure underneath. Then once it's in the tank, I have to be able to get it to where it needs to be to be useful, which is going to mean piping and possibly a pump. Only one of the roofs is immediately adjacent to something that needs water.

        So to do rainwater harvest on a scale that actually helps, I could easily spend $5k or more.

        It turns out that Northern California is having its driest spring since they started keeping records 150 years ago.

        I saw a map this week that explained so many things to me that I'd never grasped. The entire eastern half of the US gets the same rainfall as the pacific northwest. Most of the west gets about 1/5 of that annually. Also, the east tends to get its moisture distributed through the year, where we can get all our rain in just 3 months.

        by shenanigans on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:17:53 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • I hear you (0 / 0)

          it is an expensive proposition. At least in Victoria (my state), the Department of Enviroment and Sustainability offers rebates for installing things like rain tanks. And prices on tanks and associated plumbing have been falling because demand is juicing economies of scale.

          It's a total cost/benefit analysis and no way would I say "You Must".

          by Rachel on Wed May 14, 2008 at 03:46:17 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

    • Last two digits? (0 / 0)

      I didn't know that.  DH's are zero, three.  No wonder we were early.

      by lonespark on Tue May 13, 2008 at 04:12:19 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • What stimulus? (0 / 0)

    DH and I earn to much to get a stimulus--in fact, we earn so much that DD's stimulus check was $73 short.  Hah!  That money is going into her college fund--we used our regular tax refund to buy her a swing set (a diary in itself) and pay off our credit cards.  Take that, idiots in the Bush Admin!

    by tessajp on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:02:19 PM PDT

  • Already propping up the economy (0 / 0)

    We recently moved into an older house that needs some fixing up, so we are already in the midst of doing our patriotic duty of contributing to the economy.  Hopefully major construction will begin this week, perfectly coinciding with the receipt of our check.  Spent before we got it!

    by coobert on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:04:12 PM PDT

  • This rebate (0 / 0)

    combined with our money will go to paying off the credit card (which has about $800 on it from expenses when we moved across the country last year) and into our savings for a house deposit.  We really want to buy a house in the next year or so, so this will be a good boost to that account.  The plasma tv will have to wait.

    by MoanaLiz on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:07:06 PM PDT

  • Savings, then vacation (0 / 0)

    The stimulus check is what is financing our trip to Austin this summer (along with a few extra days to visit my husband's sister in Kileen).  It's going into savings until the trip.

    Jen

    by MrsPastor on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:09:50 PM PDT

  • back into the house (0 / 0)

    probably, we are in the process of finishing the basement.

    Though I gotta say, with the price of gas, a portion will be to offset those costs.

    by lilianna28 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:13:12 PM PDT

  • I'm using 1/2 to pay for (0 / 0)

    my 1/2 of our little provincetown vacation with Liza this summer and 1/2 to pay bills.    

    I will not be buying 'stuff' with it that's for sure!

    by MKatherine1966 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:26:15 PM PDT

  • Roof (0 / 0)

    We need a new roof.  I guess we will be stimulating some local roofers.

    by music teacher on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:41:46 PM PDT

  • Charities (0 / 0)

    As our income was stretched this year (small business owners/my change of job), I didn't give to my regular charities.  Right when I got the hefty check (3 kids, woo hoo) I started writing checks to my favorite charities.  I refused to buy more plastic junk/toys from China (ok, sorry about the earthquake - bad timing) like GWB wanted me too.  I was also able to give twice to AmeriCares for both the cyclone and the earthquake. It felt great.

    by franimal on Tue May 13, 2008 at 01:20:47 PM PDT

  • housing crisis (0 / 0)

    Our house won't sell and we're moving to Austin this week. So, our stimulus check is essentially paying the mortgage on it for a couple of month.

    Very circuitous. Housing crisis part of problem, stimulus checks to help fix problem, negated by the housing problem... basically the bank will be getting my check in the form of interest payments.

    if you wobba cypress trees then I will wobba you

    by thais on Tue May 13, 2008 at 01:23:09 PM PDT

  • It's for bills (0 / 0)

    We're paying some of the debt we've acquired as the economy hasn't been too kind to us under this president.  So in a way I don't feel like I'm getting anything; it's not like extra money, it's what I might have earned had Bush not been such a putz.

    But speaking of getting what you're due, for some reason we did not get the extra for DS.  He's included in our tax forms, but under "qualifying children" on the stimulus form there is a zero.  And try getting a human at the information number provided. Anyone else experience this?

    by cynmill on Tue May 13, 2008 at 01:47:09 PM PDT

    • ha! (0 / 0)

      it's not like extra money, it's what I might have earned had Bush not been such a putz.

      Much love. Totally true.

      by lilianna28 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 02:34:43 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • PS (0 / 0)

        Speaking of President Putz, did anyone see his explanation of what you're supposed to do with the package (go shopping!) And says there are two main points, and then goes into point 3, 4... what a moron. Seriously. And his tone when he talks about it. God, it's like "Hey Dummy. It's not MY fault you don't see my genius here! I will spell it out for you- Go spend this. Heh heh heh."

        by lilianna28 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 02:39:02 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    • Qualifying Child (0 / 0)

      Your child had to be 17 or younger last year, and live with you at least half the year or be born last year to qualify. Hope that helps.

      by morganna on Tue May 13, 2008 at 08:16:56 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Thanks (0 / 0)

        That's exactly what DS is...born in 2006 & lives with us all the time.  I guess I'll have to try & deal personally with the IRS; for $300, it might be worth it.

        by cynmill on Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:52:19 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        • There's a calculator at (0 / 0)

          the IRS.gov site.  You put in information from your tax  returns and it should tell you how much you should get.  

          by tjb22 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 08:36:05 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          • I checked that (0 / 0)

            And it came out to exactly $300 more than we got, which means DS should have counted,, since he is a dependent on our tax forms.  Now my problem is, how on earth do I get the IRS to say there was an error and remedy it?  That could be close to impossible.

            by cynmill on Wed May 14, 2008 at 08:47:30 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            • Well, $300 would be worth trying. (0 / 0)

              I didn't look around much at the site, but was there a link for questions?  It would be worth going through the hoops for a bit, and if they seem to onerous, maybe you could contact your congress person's office?  They help facilitate a lot of paperwork issues.  

              by tjb22 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 08:53:18 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              • Mystery solved (0 / 0)

                My accountant said he's been hearing several stories like this because there's a glitch in the IRS's software.  They are either going to issue additional checks later, or add it to people's 08 return.  He also suggested sending a note to my representatives, saying if they got enough heat, they might pressure the IRS to do something sooner.  Trust Shrub's admin to even screw up the one tiny helpful thing they tried to do.

                by cynmill on Wed May 14, 2008 at 09:58:31 AM PDT

                [ Parent ]

  • LOL (0 / 0)

    I got cut out of part of my pell grant by this administration, so I'm putting some towards that and some towards our mountain of medical bills for Julian!

    Whooo-hooo

    What do you mean, uh-oh? Toddler & baby pictures

    by round peg inna square hole on Tue May 13, 2008 at 01:56:58 PM PDT

  • My job from last year STILL hasn't mailed my w-2 (0 / 0)

    I am starting to get frantic!!!

    by Suzanne77 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 02:26:28 PM PDT

  • Can I just say (0 / 0)

    I love how WALMART is getting all huffy about taking "advantage" of the "consumer" with "rebate bonuses" all at one store and... PUKE. Raise minimum wage, buy American and then we'll talk about what's good for consumers and the economy WALMART.

    With the Sears program (as a former Sears Corporate Employee-go blue!) the idea is to help those people who want big-ticket items, like "I got my rebate check and was going to use it on a new kitchen set up, or a new fridge..." then it's just a GOOD thing. No one is thinking "wow, I'm gonna cash my rebate check with Sears and THEN shop around!" That's stupid.

    by lilianna28 on Tue May 13, 2008 at 02:34:10 PM PDT

  • Let's see, dentist today, $147 for x rays and (0 / 0)

    cleaning.  Made an appt for a 30,000 mile check up on my car before the warranty runs out.  That is going to be $500.00.  Oops, back in the hole.

    by OldMother on Tue May 13, 2008 at 02:52:20 PM PDT

  • you want disgusting irony? (0 / 0)

    I got a stimulus check. That's right. I haven't lived in the US for almost eight years and I have a fat check sitting in my US checking account. I mean, it's awful - I haven't felt any of the pain of the US economic cycles, I don't own property in the US, I don't even live there, but I have this check that covers the three of us (DH counts as my dependent).

    But screw it - the US is the only OECD country that requires non-resident citizens/Green card holders to file taxes while living overseas - and pay taxes to the US government, if the income is more than $88,000. That's right - if my Aussie income ever goes above US$88,000 after-tax, I have to pay money to the US government too.

    I haven't figured out what to do with the money yet. I'm liking the idea of donating to the Obama campaign, though.

    by Rachel on Tue May 13, 2008 at 03:42:10 PM PDT

  • Isn't this just an advance on next year's tax (0 / 0)

    refund??  I am still so confused about how this "gift" is going to affect us on our 2008 taxes.  I received it and I put it into a Certificate of Deposit.  I won't spend it because I am paranoid doing so will come back to haunt me in about March of next year.

    I'm one of the lucky ones, though, we have no debt except our mortgage.  The frivolous thing I would like to do if I had a bunch of money is replace the flooring on the first floor of this house but that would cost a lot more than $1800.  My dreams run big. :)

    Okay, so I'm looking for a pair of thongs/flip flops that will fit my wide foot and offer arch support.  Once I find them, I'll "stimulate the economy" to the tune of, oh, $40 or so.  And I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow. How's that, Prez Putz?

    by MsMarvel on Tue May 13, 2008 at 04:45:29 PM PDT

  • Debt, debt, and more debt (0 / 0)

    And it will cover the cost of our tax preparer. I'm pretending we're not even getting the check.

    Someday (hopefully within a year) the debt that I started accruing nearly 20 years ago in college will be gone. Of course, I've been thinking lately of the New Yorker cartoon with two naked people sitting on boxes in an empty room and a caption that reads "So this is debt free living!"

    by mpg on Tue May 13, 2008 at 06:03:33 PM PDT

  • Summer child care. (0 / 0)

    That's where ours is going.

    Except that first, we're going to use it to give us a cushion while we change banks, because our current bank is on the board of a wretched lobbying organization that is one of the political banes of our state.  Changing banks as a boycott maneuver is a big deal for us, because we have a whole lot of automated deposit and withdrawal stuff currently set up (from paychecks to Paypal and beyond...) The "stimulus" will give us a little wiggle room for something to go wrong with the switchover.

    Then when everything's running smoothly and we write our "take your conservative business lobby and shove it" letter, we'll use the money for summer child care.

    by AnnieJo on Wed May 14, 2008 at 10:49:54 AM PDT

Permalink | 75 comments