Last Wednesday, I found that I'd already received, via direct deposit, W's latest gift to the people: an "extra" tax refund under the so-called Economic Stimulus Act.
This morning I opened yesterday's mail, and found a letter from the IRS, dated yesterday (how'd they do that?), letting me know I should receive my rebate by last Friday. Love how they spent money on printing and postage to tell me that, too late on two fronts. (The BF got his letter yesterday, too — and he ripped into it thinking the money was inside. It was, after all, labelled with a big red "PAYMENT" on the back. Nope. Promises of a check sometime next week or later.)
It got me to thinking on this. Wasn't the last time these "bonus" checks sent out, right around September 2001? And remember the (half-joking) mantra, " go shopping or the terrorists win"? (Not that they were mant to be tied together, originally.) I'm looking back and I don't see any major expenditures on my part. Just a line item transferring money to savings.
And that's exactly what I've done this time. Transferred the money to savings, where I don't see it in my checkbook, even though we're supposed to all go out on false buying sprees to give the illusion of a re-burgeoning economy. This time, there isn't even a convenient enemy to blame (save, possibly, oil-company executives, for the cynical among us). But sometimes, even a national wave of retail therapy isn't enough. Sorry, George.
(Aside: Interesting article on the checks over here.)
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