Wait…I thought I was getting a package from China

In case you have not turned on a radio or television today, the federal gubamint may have already given you some mo’ money…directly into your bank account, if you filed electronically and they gave you a refund.  Of course, after hearing that some money was already deposited, I logged in to the bank’s ever so helpful website to see that our money has not yet arrived.  We don’t need it to survive or anything, I’m just obsessed with checking my bank account online and updating our monthly budget worksheet accordingly.  I am a total nerd.

I’m a little torn about the whole thing.  On the one hand, Uncle Sam (not this one), has been ripping us off for years.  If you had to pay your taxes out of your own pocket every month/year/week or however you get paid, you’d want to jack slap that man into tomorrow, or at least be really mad if he didn’t invite you to his Christmas party.  If we had to feel the burn as individuals every single month, there would be no way to keep us out of voting booths and political rallies.  We’d all give a great big hoot.  Instead we let the companies for which we work take care of most of our taxes and they send it all in for us and we are just happy little peons, thankful for the scraps left behind (yes, I still love hyperbole).  So, in one sense, this money that will be rolling in any time now, is just more of a rebate. The gubbermyth money IS my money, and YOUR money.  Whenever they are going to pay for something, that means WE are paying for it.  So, you know, thanks for giving back Washington!

On the other hand, they already spent everything we gave them…and then some.  And this money that is about to come back isn’t really from us at all.  It’s borrowed money.  Frankly, if there is one thing that really chaps me these days, it’s credit.  I’m tired of it.  I’m tired of people buying things they can’t afford and taking trips they’ll never be able to pay off and driving cars that are sucking them dry.  A friend recently told us about how sometimes when he goes into giant fancy shmancy homes to do his job that they often have no furniture and one time when he was there a guy from the electric company was there to shut off the electricity.  People living beyond their means.  Of course, I shouldn’t fault them so much.  It’s obviously the American way.  The people can’t go where they are not led.

On the radio, the announcers are talking about how most people are planning to pay off debt with the money or use it to make ends meet (which, for the longest time as a child, I thought was Ends Meat.  Some kind of special beef recipe, perhaps).  They are reminding us that the money is supposed to be spent.  That the spending will jump start the economy and that paying down your credit card won’t help do that.  But c’mon, radio people. Don’t worry. Americans aren’t that disciplined.  The psychological impact of getting more dough, will, no doubt, lead them to whip out those little plastic cards and get to swiping in no time.

Hears to everyone who will use the money wisely and not a penny more!  So, gentle readers, what are you planning to do with your sack of cash?