14 April, 2008

Stimulating Temptation

Did my taxes today. Calculating the small refund and the big stimulus check I expect led me to some thoughts on financial planning. The good news is, being well-employed is settling my finances into a healthier state than they've seen in years.

The question then is, what shall I do with my stimulus check?

--Knock off a substantial chuck of some low-interest debt I hold?
--Cover the last few payments on my low-interest car loan in one fell swoop?
--drop another payment into my bottomless student loans?

Ooooh, such intelligent and responsible choices! But the whole point of economic stimulus is to stimulate the American economy, right? And paying off debt doesn't stimulate the economy, so I'd obviously not be doing my duty were I to exercise one of the above options.

What to do, what to do...

I suspect I may be forced to sacrifice for my country, to splurge my entire stimulus check on something consumerish--something short-term, experiential, and utterly frivolous.

It'd be the patriotic thing to do.