Category: Education
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Kids...
"I spent my money on this guy, had to pay six months of car insurance so he could go to college. "
Lisa, 38, Office Manager
Cleveland, GA -
Lee and Chloe
"I put it straight into a college savings plan for these two little monkeys. It's not a sexy purchase, I know, but I don't see the government doing much to defray the rising cost of education..."
John Dingfield, 44, Commercial Editor/Cutters
Chicago, IL -
Took away some pain, what will take away the rest?
"I will receive my check in a week but I already spent it on my toothache turned root canal. Because of No Child Left Behind my career as a Social Studies teacher is almost obsolete (I guess nobody cares about learning history) so I cannot find a job and get dental insurance. Root canal = $640 and crown = $1000. Goodbye $600. Let's do this again so I can go back to school since I have to give up my dream profession."
Jen B., 24, Struggling teacher looking for work
Tampico, Illinois -
Where did all that money go?
"My husband and I have 5 children so we received $2100. I really cannot figure out how $2100 got spent within a week, but I know that the majority of it went towards gasoline (we are at $4.15/gallon here in IL) and groceries (Walmart) and bills. I did spend $100 at oldnavy.com and I did pay $212 for my summer college course that I am taking next week. I also spent about $300 on food and beverages for my graduation party. Other than that, I don't know where it went! "
Yolanda C, 34, Bookkeeper/Samco Sales and Marketing
Rockford, IL -
Higher Education Costs
"I spent all of my refund check on college tuition, books, and remodeling my apartment (which badly needed it). The rising cost of tuition (13% this year!) and the 'requirement' for a college education,(especially in the field of Chemical Engineering), this refund check came at the right time!"
Ryan, 18, Student
Chicago, Illinois -
Mountain Man - Cut Down In His Prime
"The Mountain Man was rotten, eaten by termites, attacked by woodpeckers, and needed paint job, so we cut him down. We used $320 to give the Mountain Man a proper burial and build a garden over his stump. Since Uncle Sam was so generous, we gave him $560 of his money back (Federal Student Loan payment). Oh, and of course, we spent on our car: $200 brake job, $50 oil job, $370 on gas and there was probably some food in there too. Everybody but the termites and woodpeckers ate well this month!"
Mountain Bob Wood Pants, 32, Engineer
Short Gap, WV -
A Little Hope
"My refund was split between my education costs, food, utilities and a little hope-fund for my unborn child. "
Katharine, 30, Graphic Designer, Professional Student
Akron, Ohio -
Digging Out
"I'm digging myself out of debt. My "stimulus" check was a bank bailout. I did put part of it away to help pay for my graduate degree. The dollar is hurting so badly right now that the best investment I could possibly make is in my earning potential. "
Suzi, 32, Computers
Boulder, CO -
Tattoos honoring my parents
"For my parents & the working class. My mother (who has been teaching 3rd grade in New Jersey for a decade, hence the apple) deserves more than one tattoo - maybe this is just a start. I've still got a little over $400 left from the stimulus! Next is an old style printing press as a right arm sleeve for my father."
Eric MH, 26, Website Editing
Burlington, VT -
Eastern Washington University
"With the greatest appreciation to all, I am ecstatic to announce ours went to my College fund here at EWU.edu. My education has placed a heavy burden upon my parents but I have I heard only kindhearted, caring encouragement for my efforts and never a peep on the monetary strain it has placed on them."
Craig Jameson, 19, Biology Major - Pre-Med
Kenai, Alaska -
"sigh."
Barbarella
Boring, Mcborington -
Spending money to make money...
"I intend to spend our money by going to college to get my Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certificate. I just recently had a baby 5 weeks ago and with the rate of unemployment rising, and the desperate need for CNA’s I felt it perfect time to go back to school. It’s not everyday you have the chance to spend money, to eventually in the long run make more money. My husband and I are very set in our decision, even though we need things (i.e. a new van would be nice); we have chosen to spend it to help me further my education. People could spend it on possessions, but we choose to spend it on something that can never be taken away.
Then we will spend what ever is left on things we need for the trip up to see our family in Pennsylvania. They usually throw a family reunion yearly, and we would love for them to see our new addition to the family; our baby boy."
Sarah Aller, 24, Housewife/ cleaner/ cook/ laundry washer, dryer, folder/ mommy
Wake Forest, North Carolina -
Frozen in Michigan
"I spent mine to pay the Dorm reservation fee, and an old fee for a recreation pass that I never used last semester. And thanks to the stimulus check I could go to an anime convention instead of using my paycheck to pay for the aforementioned ^.^ And I took my parents out to the only decent mexican place in town."
Kara, 23, Student
Frozen North, MI -
Fighting the good fight, against corporate greed.
"I spent the money to get three more hours of speech therapy for my son who has autism, since my insurance company refuses to pay for it. Every little bit counts for him. By the way, screw you Aetna. I'm downgrading my coverage since you just eat my money and deny me coverage for anything useful anyway..."
Adam, 40, Father
Chicago, IL -
Stimulating Sweden's Economy
"85% of my check went to student loan payments, but I couldn't resist taking at least a little to Ikea. My favorite is the FROST clothes drying rack - equal to 20 yards of clothesline saves me 75 cents per load of laundry!"
Lindsey Y., 25, Online media/communications
Fargo, ND -
a little bit of this, a little bit of that
"I spent $250 on 2 new tires and an oil change, $100 on textbooks, and put the rest in my ING savings account. I would have put all $600 into my savings account, but it was getting to the point that when it rained, it was anyone's guess on if I would be able to stop before rear ending the car in front of me. "
Melissa, 25, classroom aid/grad student/babysitter extraordinaire
Bryn Mawr, PA -
Forget Failing Economy I'm Gonna Fail College
"Since i fall into the giant hole betwen being to poor for college catgorie and the mommy and daddy are loaded and paying for all of college catagorie. My whole check is going to pay for college. FAFSA's A Joke. Thanks for leaving me behind Bush."
Garrett Schilling, 18, Backcountry Guide
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma -
Catching Up for Finals - Speed Reading Class
"Spent it enrolling in a speed reading class (irisreading.com) to catch up for finals. "
Paul, 23, Education
Chicago, IL -
"I will pay off my college loans."
Meg
Cranford, New Jersey -
"We received our $1,800.00 stimulus check and deposited it in savings. This money will be put in our sons' college accounts. I'll take this check, but must question the wisdom of this governmental action as it faces record deficits. If reasonable, hard working people still can't make ends meet, maybe this check can help out the truly deserving."
Deric, 48, Teacher Muroc Unified School District
Boron, California
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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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