It has been almost a year now since President Bush sent out the 2008 stimulus checks to everyone in America. These were $600 Stimulus Checks unless you were married then it was $1200, along with an additional $300 for each child you had at home 17 or under. These checks were distributed over the course of several months based on the last 2 digits of every one's social security number.

A lot has happened since then. President Bush's 2nd term came to and end, President elect Obama was sworn into office making him the first black president in the nation's history. The bailouts of many of the leading financial companies started to come in what seemed by the week. Everyone wanted part of the bailout pie that the 2009 stimulus act was providing.
Do you remember back a year ago? How much did you get for you 2008 stimulus check? What did you spend it on or how did you spend it? Did you spend it on something frivolous in a retail store to help stimulate the economy like President George Bush intended. Did you save it? Did you spend it on your bills or mortgage or car payment to just get by?

There was a study done shortly after the 2008 stimulus checks were released stating the average family had increased their spending on merchandise, food and drug items by 3.5% as compared to the average family that had not yet received their 2008 stimulus check. Large items such as refrigerators and TVs were bought at a rate of 2.5% faster in the second quarter of 2008 as a result of the stimulus check. The average family spent 20% of their rebate that they had received in the mail within the first month. In 2001 there was also a stimulus package sent out during the down term of that economy. The 2008 stimulus check was spent on a slightly faster pace then that of 2001.

Did you spend your stimulus check on a large item like a fridge or a new HDTV? Or do you even remember how you spent it?