Keep It Local: Spending the Rebate Check

My Mom forwarded me an email about how most consumers will spend their rebate checks on goods made in and profiting the foreign economies. I believe it said the only ways to keep it in the US Economy was to spend it on gambling, cigarettes, or prostitution. But, there are in fact many ways we can consciously spend this money and assist in stimulating our Own Economy. Who else is going to do it? Not one man or one woman....All of Us will have to do our part in order for the stimulus package to accomplish the goal of actually Stimulating the US Economy. I wouldn't have minded a brief note from the Government on how they thought the money would best be utilized....I'm left on my own to figure it out.

Here's what I've got so far, feel free to comment with more ideas:

- Pay off bills/debts with government/municipalites: this would be parking tickets, electric bills, property taxes, estimated tax payments, etc. Money that helps the cities, states and country that we live in Function.

- Take a vacation on the Amtrak trains: my favorite memories of my childhood are of me and my Mom taking the train from Chicago to Seattle, L. A., Las Vegas (Mom refused to fly) and having the times of My Life! I made pen pals (remember those?) and saw the landscapes of our Beautiful Country. Aside from putting some money into our very own local transportation systems it eliminates the need to buy your own gasoline (at these astronomical prices) or fret over the Krazy Airlines. (sidenote: May 10th is National Train Day, google it or go to Amtrak.com

- Donate (some of) it to a Museum. Preferably one that houses the history of your own ancestry or of your passion (art, music, science, history) They are often very under funded and if You don't do it, who will??

- Go to a farmer's market...or if you can, go to a Real Farm Market (those little storefronts on the edge of Lush Acerage!): Buy their produce, milk, juice, eggs, plants, seedlings, whatever they've got! They need our help and We Need Our Farmers.

- Get a MakeOver: Beauty and Nails Salons, staples of the US Small Businesses buy and spend operational dollars locally. And we could all use a fresh face after such a torturously long winter, dontcha think?

While you mull that over...grab a couple o' hookers, a carton of Marlboro's and hop the next plane to Vegas Baby!!! Yeah!