Citing new stimuli to spend, pay, gas up

When my economic stimulus payment passed through town last Friday (I have the good fortune to own both a low Social Security number and direct deposit), about half of it was already spent on life’s necessities.

I filled up the car tank with eau de petroleum and the human tanks at home with food! I made another mortgage payment!

To carry out George W. Bush’s plan to stimulate the economy with these $300, $600 or higher payments (depending on the number of young’uns), I even browsed Belk’s Charity Day Sale on Saturday morning and made a few charitable “contributions,” aka purchases. It was positively stim-u-lat-ing.

The cost of living, in case you haven’t noticed, has gotten a little pricier, so any economic stimulus plan is a plan of mine.

Other people have plans of their own, as they anticipate their own U.S. Congress/Bush-approved economic stimulus checks that are in the mail or soon will be.

Sarah Sue Ingram, interim sports editor at the Beacon, has a plan for her own payment once it arrives. “It’s going toward Holden Beach taxes,” she said.

Ashley Moore, a senior at West Brunswick High School, said if and when she receives a check, she’ll use it to pay car insurance. “It’s expensive,” she said.

The Geico gecko heard that.

Holden Beach visitors Dan and Rachel McCarty of Indiana said they’ll also help stimulate the local economy by spending a portion of their check on vacationing.

Janet Davis, manager at Coastal Cinemas in Shallotte, said her personal stimulus plan calls for paying bills.

Greg and Joan Strickland of Fuquay Varina said they aren’t getting a check. But if they were, “I’d buy gas with it,” Greg said. “It wouldn’t buy much.”

Louise Matera of Whiteville said, “I’ll give the Lord the 10 [percent] of it, then I’ll put it in the bank and spend as needed and be grateful for it.”

Her fianc, H.K. Krien of Dublin, will fill up his gas tank and “probably spend it on this lady,” he said, motioning toward Matera.

More economic stimulus spending plans:

Dinah and Tom Johnson of Little River, S.C., plan to remodel their condominium.

Calabash fireman Tom McLamb plans an invigorating vacation.

Fellow fireman William Bennett will spend his check covering “these %&*# gas prices, pardon my language.”

Stella Humphreys of the Village at Calabash in Carolina Shores will pay her credit card.

“That’s not what the government wants to hear,” she said. “But that’s what I’m going to do with it.”

Laura Lewis is a staff writer at the Beacon. Reach her at 754-6890 or llewis@brunswickbeacon.com.