Category: Education
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Arts Education and Volunteering
"I spent my stimulus check on airfare to Nicaragua; I traveled to the city of Granada to teach art classes. I am a volunteer for a non-profit, Building New Hope (www.buildingnewhope.org), based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Granada, Nicaragua. To read more about our new arts education cooperative, please visit http://g-arts-ed.blogspot.com/ "
Mauren Antkowski, 26, Art Educator, Photographer
Pittsburgh, PA -
Puh-leeeeaaasssssssse!
"I used my stimulus check for a second deposit I had to give to my landlord because of the state of the economy. He wanted to make sure he has some kind of security incase we couldn't afford our rent and had to move out! Ha! My fiance' used his to pay toward his student loan. No shopping, no school supplies for the kids, no fun, no dinner or groceries. Just paying for my landlords security. :("
Jeannette, 30, Laid off
Willowbrook, IL -
Having a good time!
"I used the extra money to pay for some expenses toward my son's graduation from Boston College, including giving him some extra spending money."
Mary, 49
Sandwich, MA -
Student loan
"Dept Ed student loan sucks but so does the interest...."
Michael F, 43, Life Long Student
Santa Barbara, CA -
Payin for school
"We used the stimulus check for gas and for college tuition"
Gail, 47, Administrator/Software Development/staffing
Ann Arbor, Michigan -
Vacation & School
"I am using my stimulus check to pay for my family rv vacation. The rest of it will go to me going back to college full time.!! Its great!"
Brandi, 25, Aviation
La Porte, Texas -
No longer in debt??
"I spent my check on a forbearance for my private student loans (Yes, I had to pay close to $600 for THAT). Thanks G-dub, for letting me put off paying my loans for another 6 months!!"
Becky, I just got laid off, America!!
GB, WI -
Health Insurance is a B*tch
"Almost are whole stimulus check went to paying health insurance so we could continue to go to school, the left overs combined with our tax return paid for a new computer after our old one crashed"
Kileen, 22, Janitor
Provo, UT -
Debt that doesn't go away
"My husband and I didn't get one. he had taken out a student loan some years previous and due to a job loss had to put it on deferment. Except they never deferred the payment. It went into default and Uncle Sam Garnishes his wages and takes OUR tax returns/Stimulus checks. Also, when we call for a balance, it seems the payments are never applied...the balance goes up even after paying over 400$ monthly and 3500 in Rebates and the supposed stimulus check...where is that money going? "
Lori, 34, Office Manager
Baltimore, MD -
529 plan - College Savings
"My husband and I put the $300 designated for each of our two dependents in thier 529 plan. My half of 'our' money ($600) went to pay down credit card/home equity debt from a basement remodel project and to buy groceries and such basic stuff as new jeans, tennis shoes, socks and underwear."
Julie Marie, 38, Health Insurance Industry
Cedar Rapids, IA -
Ironic, don't you think?
"I am going to pay for a lawyer so I can file bankruptcy! Hey, at least I get to keep the house. I know I'm making light of this, and I shouldn't, but it is the truth."
Marcus, 49
Fort Wayne, Indiana -
Gas, $300, Rent, don't ask. Working at NASA? Priceless.
"OK, I didn't buy the Space Shuttle. But I did buy gas, which got me from Colorado to Florida so I can do a summer internship at Kennedy Space Center. Now if only that paid a little more, I could break even on this deal, but as a credit card commercial would say, the experience is *priceless*. "
Kaiti, 34, student
Boulder, CO -
School Leadership
"My stimulus check was used towards my second Master's degree in School Leadership at the College of St. Rose. I believe this was a HUGE investment in my future! My first class is focusing on the real importance that school leaders do to create and manage school culture. "
Nilsa, 27, Educator
Queens, NY -
Summer CTY Program
"I am spending mine in a couple weeks to purchase books, supplies, travel and lodging for my brain child's CTY program to better her education and help get her into a great college when she graduates from high school."
Bev, Legal Assistant
Somewhere in, Vermont -
Paying Back Student Loans
"I have 5 kiddos and am paying off THREE advanced degrees...I was behind on my student loans & just found out I lost my job due to declining enrollment in our school district! So....almost caught up but now no job :( Just paying back the government for what I borrowed....for another 30 years! Yippie!"
melinda, 38, Education Technology Specialist (for 3 more days)
Jefferson, IA -
The Price of Tuition and Books
"Well, my husband and i split our $1200 dollars. My $600.00 went to my daughter's college summer school. My husband spent his. It seems that books for college students keep getting more and more outrageous in price. We want our kids to be educated but the price of books! Everyone is looking to make a buck and they hit the ones trying to improve their education!!! I just don't understand, this is such a deterrent for most because not everyone can afford $600-??? for just books and tuition. Are our kids being punished for wanting to improve themselves??? Bottom line, our country is so wasteful in knocking down buildings because there out dated-who cares! Give the money to our kids that want to learn and be educated and maybe be our leaders for the future!!! "
DiAnne Medellin, 47, Sales Administrator-Dubois & Associates
San Antonio, TX -
I Got Ripped
"HI, My name is Michael E. Ries. I live in Rantoul, Illinois. Since I am default on my student loan I don't get a stimulus check. The govt. claims that they applied the money to my loan. The govt. has been taking both my and my wife's income tax returns for almost ten years and so far I still owe TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS on a TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLAR loan. The balance never goes down but they take the money year after year. YAHOO I owe less now... I THINK... MAYBE..."
MIchael Ries, 47, unemployed
Rantoul, Illinois -
School school the golden rule
"Well I guess you could say I bought my education...I spent my ($300) stimulus check on a portion of my summer tuition. I figured either I could go on vacation or get 3 classes closer to graduation. Thanks America, thanks!"
Tiana, 24, student
Atlanta, GA -
Money well spent
"I used my stimulus to get two brand new tires and an alignment that i needed badly, i bought a camera and i have some saved up for a kit that i need when i start school in the fall. "
Novelyn, 22, Pitt County Memorial Hospital/ Patients Transprter PT/ Student
Greenville , NC -
Sweet Justice
"I'm studying for my masters in environmental policy at American University and am using my rebate to help pay my student loans. Given how anti-environment our current administration is, I love the idea of this money being used to help further my career in this field."
Andrea C, 27, Grad Student
North Bethesda, MD
The Book
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The Stimulus
In January, Congress approved $152 billion in economic stimulus checks for millions of American households, intended to boost the economy and avert a recession. Just how this money will be spent remains to be seen. We hope this website helps shed some light on where the stimulus money is going.
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