A Stimulating Game

As I was grocery shopping this week, I got to thinking about the economic stimulus checks that we'll all be getting soon. I hadn't really made plans for that money yet. Many people have said 'Save it' and/or 'Pay down debt'. I'm not an economist, but I'm thinking... 'Wait a minute - isn't the idea to stimulate the economy? Aren't we supposed to do that by spending this money?' Am I right? Wasn't that the idea?

Don't get me wrong; I'm very tempted to save it or pay bills with it. But if that was not what was intended (and I've seen no great public relations campaign that explains exactly what was intended, but you should keep in mind that I don't own a TV either), then perhaps what I need to do is to treat this like a game. (I love games!)

Game: Stimulate the Economy!
Objective: Spend this money in a way that best stimulates our economy.

I got quite a bit of joy out of planning how I might accomplish that objective. I'm building a list of things that I could do, and I'll probably keep adding to the list until I actually get the check, or until someone convinces me that it's acceptable not to spend the money on goods or services.

1) Eat out at local restaurants. (I noticed this morning that my bagel shop had gone out of business.)

This led to 2) Declare 'Economic Stimulus Week' - Eat out at local restaurants every day for a week.

3) Purchase wine made locally.

4) Investigate the local farmer's market. Buy locally grown produce and those yummy baked goods.

5) Get more plants for the patio from local greenhouse.

6) Extensive shopping in local used bookstore.

7) Massage. (This list is fairly hedonistic. ;)

8) Raid local second-hand stores for cute decorating items.

9) Buy food and donate it to local food pantry.

10) Have an Economic Stimulus Party where friends compare their strategies for meeting the objective. Award points. Develop special drink to commemorate party. Vow to make annual tradition of 'stimulating the economy'.