What will you do with your tax refund check?

[CTyankee]

I plan to put it into an little bank account for maintenance and repair needs at my house. My husband gets crazy when faced with an emergency expenditure for a new washer or a plumbing problem. This way, we can agree to spend the money only on stuff we'd have to do anyway. With the last check we bought a new computer and upgraded our service...you wouldn't believe how ancient and out of date we were...

[Broken_Hero]

1. Pay off three credit cards

and pay off the wife's car....

Oh, and get an entertainment center, our current one is being held together by the strength of spiderwebs, and my faith and confidence in low grade bungee cords.

[Blue_Tires]

10. wow..i only wish my refund was that fat

if i'm lucky, my refund will cut down about 10 percent of my CC debt...

[Broken_Hero]

the return surprised my wife and I

greatly, I'll go on a limb, we got back 5k, our car is only 1200 or so, and our three other cards are rather small, well in terms of debt owed, so we are going to wipe out three of them, and have about 150 left...the entertainment center will probably just be beefed up with lumber/screws from Lowes...

[panader0]

2. What tax refund check?

[Parker CA]

3. +1

[schmear happens]

15. Tell it!

:cry:

[LibDemAlways]

41. Ditto here.

[4 t 4]

47. what he said n/t

[RebelOne]

4. Tax refund check? I never get one. I have to pay every year. n/t

[Dukkha]

5. going to San Francisco

visiting my old home and taking the wife there on her first flight

[Deep13]

7. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. nt

[Deep13]

6. Put it towards an asset that will not evaporate...

...the home mortgage.

[LisaM]

8. Pop a round figure of it into savings

and get myself some sort of treat. Probably a few sessions with a personal trainer.

[ThomWV]

9. Do you still think we're going to get one?

[CTyankee]

12. That's what I'm told. My husband and I don't reach the cut of $150,000

joint annual income. He's still working but I'm retired and living on SS and assets my mother left me, mostly in bonds that pay a regular dividend. I'm holding what I can in cash and won't spend it for anything. I was going to invest some of it but I just don't feel I can do that now...

[prolesunited]

11. If I have one

I will use it to pay medical bills.

[Individualist]

13. My meager refund will pay about 1/4 of my property taxes

[MrMickeysMom]

14. The idea is not to GET one...

... That's giving an interest free loan to the government.

[Writer]

16. I am going to cash it then roll around in it. n/t

[ldr65]

17. Hookers and Blow

I'll probably pay a few bills with mine.

[smoogatz]

20. LOL

Welcome to DU.

[XemaSab]

18. Support local business...

Humboldt Brewing, Mad River Brewing, Anderson Valley Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Lost Coast Brewing, North Coast Brewing, Eel River Brewing, Mendocino Brewing, Six Rivers Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing, Russian River Brewing, and Mount Shasta Brewing. :9

[wryter2000]

38. What, no wineries?

We're elitists here at DU. Didn't anyone tell you? :sarcasm:

[smoogatz]

19. Depends: not sure how much (if any) we overpaid this year

in estimated tax. If we get one we'll probably just fritter it away on childcare, groceries and mortgage payments.

[BOSSHOG]

21. Donate to DAV

will hold a few bucks back for a Beer and Poboy in the Quarter.

[greenbird]

22. Pay down what I owe

to the IRS.

[Seedersandleechers]

23. I'm going to NYC

to attend my child's graduation from Law School. Luckily I'll be able to stay at his greenwich village apartment or I wouldn't have been able to go.


edit:

I don't have a house payment, credit card, or car payment - otherwise, I would be paying on that instead.

[radfringe]

24. pay bills

if anything is left over I might treat myself to a USB hub for computer or a to a chocolate bar

[tammywammy]

25. I'm buying a new fridge

A nice LG French door with bottom freezer. And then the rest goes into savings.

[JoDog]

29. Niiiice.

I'll be saving some and using the rest to buy a spinning wheel.

[tammywammy]

32. It's a good deal too

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8829734&type=product&id=1207957071740

Mine is currently 15-20 years old and I think the compressor is headed to it's death bed.

[AlCzervik]

26. I never get one.

[bluestateguy]

27. Saving for a house

nt

[Lucian]

28. I had to repair my car with my tax refund check.

With the little bit that's leftover, I'm going to get a tattoo.

[WI_DEM]

30. There will be no tax refund check, it's payroll deductions, not a stimulus check

[tammywammy]

35. It is a refund of overpayment throughout the year n/t

[glinda]

42. Plan is really bad for seniors and those on fixed income. We get nada basically.

we pay in every year and make under 52 thou. Bills have risen. Sounds like we will be poorer.

[sandnsea]

57. Under $52,000?

Huh? Everyone on social security is getting an extra $250. If you also work and make less than $70,000, you get an extra $400. If you both work and make under $70,000 each, you get an extra $800.

How do you figure you will be poorer?

[glinda]

59. Only one in house on SS. 250/yr extra is like 0. Plus, I cannot work and do not qualify for

any help as I fall into an odd category called "need surgery that Insurance does not cover" yet not sick enough to get money for being handicapped. If we pay for it by withdrawing money from diminishing retirement and eat huge taxes, we will be near broke. Then figure in that our taxes will go up yet again on our not paid for home...once each year for the last three years. All of our utilities and Insurance has gone up. I really don't see the benefit.
I personally would like to see the ability to withdraw our money without taxes in order to transfer to another bank or into a savings where we would gain instead of loose $$$$.
I believe much is falling upon those in retirement , older and in difficult health situations. This in the long run will loose votes from people in that area. Which is actually a pretty large group.The President takes it for granted that "the house is paid for or that there is a cushie life. NOT.

Oh...and that amount is before taxes. We with-hold more as we pay in. If I even worked part time, we would actually pay in even more.

[sandnsea]

60. They were talking about tax free withdrawals

for retirees, as well as waiving the requirement on withdrawals for retirees. Hopefully that is in the package because it is important too. I think most people don't have their house paid for, that's why we're having a mortgage meltdown. I think the President gets that. I don't think he believes very many people are living a cushie life at all, which is why he even included $250 tax credits for people on ssi and ssd in the first place. It isn't easy for anybody, right now. I hope you aren't on the verge of eviction like a lot of people are.

[glinda]

69. we have to plan to sell our home as it is now too tight for us each month and if we somehow

succeed in selling, chances are we will loose the little equity we have in it so it basically sucks

[glinda]

72. Tax free withdrawals would be incredible for us as we could put our money in

a safer place and I might even be able to afford half of my surgery and then go back to work and pay for the other half. I hate the Banks right now.

[sandnsea]

74. Well if I see something on that

I will be sure and PM you right away. It sure does seem like some coporate fat cat is going to get your money one way or the other. You either lose it in a stock bubble burst or bank failures or give it to a corporate hospital in the end. And what you don't lose to them outright, they swindle you out of through your taxes. It's crazy.

[glinda]

79. Thanks! And you are totally right on what they are doing.

[JuniperLea]

31. I may post my CA IOU...

So y'all can help me laugh instead of cry.

The Fed return will go to debt.

[SidneyCarton]

75. You and me both sister.

[GentryDixon]

33. Re-do on our patio outside the sun room.

It won't be enough, but it needs to be done.

[bikebloke]

34. Refund?

I don't earn enough for a refund. It's been many years since I had one of those.

[catzies]

36. Now see, my windfall was from game show winnings not a tax refund

I OWE every year & this year even more so, because game show earnings are taxed like gambling winnings.

I set aside 25% to cover the estimted liability & spent the rest remodeling my house.

There's never been a tax break that ever helped me & I haven't had a raise in two years. So I just go on a game show every year to get extra income. :)

[soothsayer]

46. for real? at least you can deduct gambling losses against your winnings

(which is good as I had $25k in winnings this year, yipes!)

[catzies]

67. There's nothing to deduct against game show winnings, unless I traveled to NY

and incurred airfare/hotel, I guess. But I just took a vacation day and drove 45 mins to Hollywood. I guess I could deduct the gas...

[Doremus]

62. What game shows have you been on if you don't mind sharing? n/t

[catzies]

65. Jeopardy: 1989, Win Ben Stein's Money: 2001, Merv Griffin's Crosswords: 2007

And Trivial Pursuit: America Plays 2008.

I call my house "The house that game shows built."

[slackmaster]

37. Since I will be getting an IOU from the state of California rather than a check,

I'll take the option to apply it to my 2009 taxes, then increase the number of state withholding exemptions on my paycheck to simulate getting a raise.

[Blue_In_AK]

39. What tax refund check?

Thanks to Sarah Palin and her energy "rebate" last year, we're going to owe even more than usual - probably around $5,000 or more.

[LSparkle]

40. Heh heh heh ... WHAT tax refund check?

I usually end up paying the feds (albeit less than $100)
and I sometimes get a small refund (again, less than $100)
from my state -- CALIFORNIA, which means I get an "I.O.U."
this year ...

[soothsayer]

43. just got laid off (from fannie mae!) so will use it to live

[tabbycat31]

44. use it for living expenses

since I'm an unemployed student, I need all the $$ I can get.

[EnviroBat]

45. New energy efficient gas furnace for the house.

Old one has got to be over 20 years old now. About 45% of the heat is going up through the chimney. Buying a 95% efficiency unit in the hopes the heating bills will be lower next winter.

[Fresh_Start]

53. We replaced our 35 year old furnace in November

with a 95% efficient one. We are saving more than 35-40% of our gas usage compared to the same months last year.
We also added a zone system so the cost was pricey but we are feeling much more comfortable so far

[TWiley]

48. Put it in my IRA, and get another refund. n/t

[4 t 4]

49. Does anyone know if

on this years tax return they have that box to check to donate i think a dollar to the Presidential Campaign ?

[fizzgig]

50. what return?

i have to figure out how i'm going to pay what i owe

[SammyWinstonJack]

81. Same here and it won't be easy due too being unemployed since Oct.

x( Go after the little guy and let the big fish off the hook. Ain't this Country great? :sarcasm:

[Hun Joro]

51. Oh, how I miss tax refunds.

They abandoned me when the deduction grew up and left home.

[Goblinmonger]

52. Putting it into the fund

for the trip to Europe this summer. Where all extra money has been going. Tickets are already purchased so we need to have enough for train, sleep, and eating.

[backscatter712]

54. Squirrel it away in savings.

I know, it's the uncool thing to do - we're supposed to get out of the recession by going shopping.

But seeing that I'm still unemployed, and I need every cent I can get for a rainy day, I'm putting it away until I need it.

[Rambis]

55. Getting 1/2 the windows glazed

:woohoo:

[madamesilverspurs]

56. Put a bigger hot tub in my stretch Hummer.

Actually, there's no refund headed for my mailbox. For a couple of years I was able to pick up a bit of part time work to supplement the Social Security check, but not 2008. Still trying to get a business going, lousy timing on that, eh? And when my SS COLA arrived, the county decreased benefits accordingly. Everything is still more expensive, and there won't be any earned income credit, either. But I still have to file a return as "proof of income" for the county. Go figure.

[Two Americas]

58. that's easy

Buy booze, tobacco and lottery tickets. Isn't that what we do?

[ileus]

61. pay county taxes....

[LT TX]

63. Not getting one

This will be the first year my husband and I have to pay in. Usually we get a little bit back. He was hurt in a wreck in August and has been on disability since then. Unfortunately, the disability payments did not have any withholdings taken out.

[Texasgal]

64. What REFUND?

:rofl:


I owe...again. :(

[mitchum]

66. Send it to that crazyass brood sow out in California

[MadBadger]

68. I Dont get one, but If I did, Id spend it all...you know, help stimulate the economy.

[sandyj999]

70. Spend a little and put the rest away. I'm sure not investing it! n/t

[Critters2]

71. Not getting one. I pay quarterly, and never over pay.

I'd rather that money sit in my bank account than in Uncle Sam's. So, I'll be very close to even, or may have to send a bit with my return.

[Toasterlad]

73. Partial Down Payment on a New Car!

It's supposed to hit my bank account tomorrow. I'm psyched: this will be my first brand-new car ever. I've never owned one under six years old before.

[etherealtruth]

76. One trip to the ...

Chanel and Estee Lauder counters at Macy's took care of my little refund spending conundrum.

[Iggo]

77. Unfortunately...

...almost a year-and-a-half ago I bought a ginormous TV, huge by large, with "No interest for 18 months!!!"

As I've said elsewhere, it seemed like a good idea at the time.:shrug:

[Scout]

78. all $60 dollars of it?

buy a month's worth of dog food for my two german shepherds

[madokie]

80. Put it in our construction account as we always have in the past

I think the kids are needing a new cookstove and are going to go with an electric glass top and since their home doesn't have service for an electric stove I suspect that is where some of ours will go.

[ebbie15644]

82. pay off my credit card or

save it as I have had to spend part of my savings(big part)!!

[mockmonkey]

83. I was going to pay off the car loan...

but car repairs ate most of that up. I'm glad I took the car in first before I paid off the loan. Hopefully in 3 months, the car loan will be history. The Credit Card is next on the list.