Wednesday, May 07, 2008

How best to stimulate?

I'm tired of being "all whiny, all the time," so I won't whine today. Except on the inside, where every part of me still feels like throwing myself facedown on the bed ('cause it's soft, and I have sciatica), kicking my heels madly and screaming "it's not fair!" like a toddler, 'til my face gets all red, and snot streams out of my nose.

I'll give you a moment to picture that. Be sure to note the concerned expression on my dog's face, and the "WTF?!" expressions on the assorted cat faces.

Moving on.

I GOT MY ECONOMIC STIMULUS PAYMENT TODAY! WHOO HOO!

I instantly threw a couple of hundred bucks into my pathetic savings account. I realize that is not stimulating the economy, but what can I say? I'm a bad 'merican. (Not so bad that I tucked ALL of it away, mind you.)

I am, however, perfectly willing to stimulate away with the $400 left after that, so...what should I buy or do? I can't decide.

Give me some suggestions. I feel I need to spend it fairly quickly, or the universe will undoubtedly decide it needs to go to either the vet or the auto mechanic (like it does nearly every year with my tax return and my summer bonus).

I may spend part of it joining that group for smart people called something close to "Nensa." No, really. I've always thought it would be fun to be a card-carrying "Nensa" member, so I recently sent off for an official copy of my (long-ago) archived ACT scores (for a FEE, of course), which I can then send in (for a FEE, of course) to certify me as a bona fide smart person, and then I can join "Nensa." (Sing it with me--for a FEE, of course. Who knew it cost so much to prove your smarts?) Then, if I want, I can go to monthly local "Nensa" meetings and hang out with other smart people. Or I can just carry the card around and whip it out whenever anyone wants to argue with me. "I am a card-carrying "Nensa" member--discussion over!" Hee.

So what would a certified smart person blow her economic stimulus payment on? Throw some ideas at me.

14 comments:

Mary said...

What do those Nensa people talk about at their meetings? Do you think it's all super-cerebral or do they occasionally break down and admit to watching cheesy TV?

Our rebate should come in this week. I was just going to spend all of the money paying off debt, but I realized will have a little leftover. So I'm thinking of spending it on an ice cream maker. Not that my thighs will appreciate that, but dude! It's on sale! Half off! How can I pass that up?!

Anonymous said...

I was going to get a new vacuum, contact lenses, new glasses, and some shoes.

But then I got my oil bill. It's $623. Oh, and my car insurance was due $550. So unless the government's got more where that came from, I'm tapped.

3carnations said...

We might take a trip...we're still trying to hash out the details. We will put some toward bills, and some into our son's savings account.

L Sass said...

I have thought about joining Nensa, too. It just seems like fun!

Shoes?
Electronics?
Massage?

What kind of economy-stimulating activity are we talking here?

stinkypaw said...

Sponsor me for the Relay! Hee.

Seriously, buy something you've been wanting and have been "reasonning" or reasonable about!

shelleycoughlin said...

If you're gonna stimulate the economy, do it with something super fun. Something that you wouldn't do or buy normally. I say a fancy haircut or a massage or a pedicure... those are some ideas I've been toying with.

I also think I want a puppy, and now is the time to act.

Unknown said...

my dental bill?

or wait my State Taxes that I have yet to pay?

You can see where our money will be going.

I say spend all of it on yourself!!!

don't call me MA'AM said...

Definitely shoes.

And clothes.

... and is it weird that mary's avatar looks like my Mii? Kind of?

lizgwiz said...

mary, I am very much hoping, if I actually join and go to a meeting, that that have super-cerebral discussions of the merits of the contestants on the "Flavor of Love," etc. Hee. Ice cream...yum.

noelle, see, I'm afraid if I don't spent it frivolously immediately, I'll end up having to pay bills with it. Oh, the pressure.

3car, I thought about a trip, but I don't really have enough for anything fantastic, so I probably won't go that route this time.

sass, you should definitely join Nensa before grad school, so you can wave your card at your professors. Hee. All those things you mentioned had crossed my mind, too. We think alike. :)

stinky, I DO need to do that!

npw, excellent suggestions. Except I'll just enjoy your puppy vicariously, thank you. ;)

gorillabuns, I NEVER end up spending windfalls frivolously, and just this once, I want to!

dcmm, shoes and clothes are definitely high on my list. And yes, that's maybe a bit weird. :)

Sauntering Soul said...

It looks like I may be moving in the next couple of months so I'm going to use my check to pay some strapping young men (although I'll probably end up with some old guys with beer bellies) to move my incredibly huge amount of crap.

You, however, should go buy something fun (did you ever find your purple sunglasses). Or if a massage would help the sciatica you should definitely do that.

Mary said...

dccm, as a matter of fact, that is my Mii.

Liz, I got the ice cream maker & made my first batch of ice cream today. Hooray!

Stefanie said...

I was determined to put the majority of my stimulus check in savings, too, but they went and direct deposited into my checking account, so if I don't transfer it soon, it'll be gone before I ever really realized I had it.

Also, I get several search engine hits a week from people searching for "Nensa membership card." Not because I also wrote about trying to become a member, but because I used that in a subject line once when I was having a particularly not-so-brilliant moment. I'm sure YOU'll get in, though. What club wouldn't want you??

georgeious said...

funny, it must be convergence. i was just looking into nensa last week. i would have to take the test, though, as i am a big fat dropout with no ACT/SAT scores. but i would totally talk about bad tv with you in an snazzy-smart way.

we all know you're the queen of fashion accessories. spend it all on frivolous tidbits like jewelry and leggings.

Whiskeymarie said...

We didn't check our account for a while & didn't even realize it was there.
Now it's gone.
Sigh.

I say buy something fun but substantial- a good purse, a snazzy new kitchen gadget, a piece of furniture...