Category: Home & Garden
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It was such a blessing
"Bought a new hot water heater and tires for the truck both of which we desperately needed. Gave 10% to our church as a tithe because all good things come from God. "
Helen, 61, clerical
Zion, IL -
Privacy Fence
"We used our stimulus check to help pay for a new fence that we put up in our back yard. We recently purchased a dog and are planning on children so that was a big priority for us. The check didn't cover the entire cost of the fence, but we used $900 to cover a portion of the builder and used the other $300 on miscellaneous spending."
Justin Giersdorf, 31, Health Care
Garden City, MI -
Garden shed
"New shed and garden plot. A storm took destroyed the old shed last year, and the garden will ease grocery bills and provide "safe" produce."
Jim, 58, lab technician
Greensburg, Pa. -
New house requires furniture not a vacation
"I purchased a Table and four chairs and a living room sofa with my tax refund. My boyfriend purchased an entertainment center and maintenanced his car with his."
Susan, 36, Purchasing Associate
Lawrenceville, GA -
A Long Overdue Replacement Window
"My family bought a new picture window for our New England home. The double-pane, argon filled window should help cut our heating oil costs significantly this winter (and hopefully earn us a tax credit). The rest of the cash will get put away for heating oil this winter."
Victor, 32, Engineering/Defense/DRS
Fitchburg, Massachusetts -
Paying off the Loan Sharks
"We paid off several HIGH interest loans that we had to get since I am currently out of work and hubby's job doesn't pay enough to meet the bills, especially since moving into our home this March. We did, however, splurge on some plants to landscape the front yard. "
Darla, 34, unemployed teacher
Olathe, Kansas -
Home Improvements Needed
"New roofing materials to replace an old roof and new bathroom fixtures/walls/tub surround/shower doors to replace water-damaged bathroom walls in a 60-year old home."
Nicole, 46, Customer Service / Data Management
Syracuse, New York -
Grocery Store Alternative
"With our Stimulus Check, my family paid off our credit card debt. There was a tiny bit left for seeds for the garden pictured here."
Laura, 52, Homemaker
Ceveland, Ohio -
A Place to Sit
"We moved into a new apartment but had no furniture. We used our check to buy a couch, which my cat and I sit on often. "
Nicole H, 20, College Student
Provo, Utah -
Just enough to help me get into a new Apartment
"My check was only enough for the deposit on the new apartment I needed to move to since the one I was in skyrocketed $100 per month. :("
Mark H, 33, Technical/Computers
Laurel, MD -
Room to grow
" We needed an office and a guest room. Our Basement was unfinished but with our stimulus check we built them both. My husband did all the work we just needed to buy the supplies. Thanks Home Depot! "
Missy Hickcox, 26, Research/Biotech/Cheshire CT
Waterbury, CT -
The drains of home ownership
"My husband and I bought a new house in November 07 so we spent all $1200 buying different things for the house...a new shed, a new lawn mower (an unexpected expense since the red one in the pic died already), a patio set, a new grill and some of the wood needed for our new deck (the other wood went unfortunately onto a credit card)."
Sarah Smith, 26, Automotive Industry
Ridgeway, Ohio -
Reality
"I spent mine stocking up my home with staples from BJ's Warehouse and tried to save some but my car needed repairing at the cost of $400. I was planning on saving some for car repairs anyway. I stocked up because my mom and I are trying to make ends meet and she is disabled and unable to work. I was hoping that by doing this it would free up enough money each month for gas. I also spent a little on bead - I make jewelry."
Beth, 37, Clerical in education
Cleveland, Ohio -
THANK YOU!
"Well my husband and I are planning to move at the end of August so we are going to spend our check to help us get a HOUSE! Plus paying off a few bills. I think this extra cash is a blessing and Americans should grateful. So…instead of slandering our President I'd like to say THANK YOU! : )"
Ingrid Scott, 25, Insurance
Atlanta, GA -
Staying Warm This Winter
"My boyfriend and I have spent our checks on the purchase of a pellet stove and pellets because we need to keep our little monster warm this winter. Last year it cost us about $300 a month to heat the house and we were still cold. We figured we would use the "welfare checks" from the United States government to maybe be warm this year AND be able to eat too. Using oil is going to leave people with 2 choices this year...be warm or eat...and we want to do both. Yeah the financial hit this year will be a big one but we can tough it out and hopefully breathe a little easier next winter. Anyway with the pellet stove it's a great selling point when we move or we can take it with us!!!!"
Sarah
Fremont, New Hampshire -
Bought Local - Made Locally
"Bought a shed - Purchased from a local business, Made in Pennsylvania."
Dan, 43, Claims
Audubon, PA -
Dentist, Camp and Swing
"$900 check Spent $275 on summer camp Spent $280 on a ceder swing Paid $300 on overdue dentist bill. "
Nancy, 46, social worker
Livonia , MI -
Out with the Old, In with the New
"My wife and I have been married for almost five years now and we still had my old furniture. So we used our $1800 for a new living suit."
Prentice, 28, Auto Manufacturing
Murfreesboro, TN -
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 -
Increased my home's value
"I used the stim check and normal refund to pay for supplies and remodeled my attic from nothing to something. I lost 25 pounds working on it too. The picture is a before and after shot."
Bob, 39, Software Developer
Hutchinson, KS
The Book
We are now selecting stories. To be considered, be sure to upload an original image with your story. You will be contacted later this summer if your submission is chosen.
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This is a collaborative project. All of the blog entries are submitted by visitors to the site. We'd love for you to contribute — just upload a photo and share your story.
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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