You might get a thousand dollars stimulus package

[NYDisneyKid]

Again - my opinion they shouldn't "send" money to anyone. They should raise unemployment to 100%. Either they want to stimulate economy or help those laid off/lost jobs/cut hours whatever by Covid.

So people on social security cant get unemployment and won't get the $1000 (or whatever the amount will be?)

 

[Farro]

So people on social security cant get unemployment and won't get the $1000 (or whatever the amount will be?)

I have no idea who gets it. I'm just blathering based on speculation!

 

[malialaine]

I agree. I had to pay more money for certain things because that's all that was left.

Also I'm thinking 1K may only last a month for us now that the kids are home and not in school, not out and about doing things, etc. When they are home and bored they eat and snack and drink more. My SO will probably be working from home soon which means he'll be snacking more. This means more toilet paper being used, more paper towels, more dishes to wash so you're using more dish detergent, etc. More electric being used, more water being used, more gas being used. All of these little things add up when you have a family of 4.

Did you ever think to get your family to change their way of life and cut out some of the normal luxuries they are use to when they are bored. Just because they are bored they do not have to eat, snack and drink, try to impress upon them that life has change dramatically as they knew it and we do not know what life will bring us. Teach them to economize.

 

[MarkLT1]

So our family has been in a bit of a situation for the last 2 years. My wife decided to stay at home with the kids until they went to school. After going to school, it took 2 full years for her to find a job (entry-to-mid-level positions she was "overqualified", and leadership positions she "had too big a gap in her resume"). We are extremely fortunate that she got an offer and accepted a dream (leadership) position in mid-Jan.

All that time, I have been running my own LLC, and it has provided enough income to barely keep our heads above water (we had a lot in savings, which was slowly drained over the last several years). Now that she has her job, and my business continues, our income situation went from "head barely above water" to "we can actually put some away, and feel a bit more secure."

The $1k pp relief package would give us a bit more padding. So I'd probably feel more able to purchase a new workstation for my business (my current machines are a workstation from 2009, and a laptop from 2014.. ancient in computing terms). So we'll probably bank the cash, and build up savings for a couple of months, then use that padding to feel comfortable taking on some business costs to (greatly) enhance productivity.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It's really easy. People need the money right now. So start everyone off with $5,000. And that's a drop in the bucket compared to all the corporate bailouts they're going to do so let's not piddle around with $1,000. And we don't need to means test it at all on the front end. All that does is add a layer of bureaucracy and delay people getting their money which many need right now and many more will need soon. Instead we means test after the fact using the tax system. To do that we simply increase the personal exemption by 5,000 and make the payment taxable. Therefore those that lost the jobs that need it most, won't be paying any taxes on it. Those that suffered smaller losses will pay a small percentage of it back in taxes, and those that didn't need it at all will be paying a larger percentage of it back in taxes. And note that this would not be in lieu of unemployment changes and other things to help people through. It's to tide people over until those kick in.

 

[Snowysmom]

I will try to save it as I know they will be asking for it back come next tax season.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Did you ever think to get your family to change their way of life and cut out some of the normal luxuries they are use to when they are bored. Just because they are bored they do not have to eat, snack and drink, try to impress upon them that life has change dramatically as they knew it and we do not know what life will bring us. Teach them to economize.

we aren’t in a financial strain right now and there are no food shortages so my kids can eat and snack if they’d like. They aren’t eating abnormal amounts of food but if they’re home they are grabbing some chips they wouldn’t normally eat because they wouldn’t be home. They are drinking juice that they wouldn’t normally have because they’d be at school. Especially my son who would be away at college.

I was stating how far 1k can go for a family of 4 after a PP stated that 1k can feed one person for a year and could possibly feed a family of 4 for 3-4 months.

Even in the hardest of times there’s no way 1k would feed a family of 4 for 3-4 months.

 

[NotUrsula]

Even in the hardest of times there’s no way 1k would feed a family of 4 for 3-4 months.

Yes, it can, but not very nutritiously. It is very possible to do it if you move to what is essentially an almost all-starch diet and buy in bulk, adding in vitamin intake from tablets. A 50-lb sack of regular rice is $16; and will provide 550 1-cup cooked portions. At my poorest I regularly ate "rice and gravy" several times per week; large canisters of powdered meat-flavor gravy mix cost about $5, and each will make about 13 cups of gravy. You need about 1/4 cp for each portion of rice to make that. So, the rice will last a family of 4 for about 40 days if carefully portioned, and you would want several canisters of gravy mix to make it tasty. Even with buying vitamins and powdered milk for the kids, you would probably have a bit of cash left over.

No one WANTS to eat this way, but in my lifetime I've known a lot of people who had no choice.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

I would save it unless I was super desperate then I'd use it for bills i could not cover.

 

[BLAZEY]

I really hope Canada takes a look at this idea too.

I think Canada has actually come out with a better plan in getting money to people that need it by expanding EI Benefits (both regular and medical) and creating special emergency funds for those who wouldn't qualify for EI programs. It's designed to get the money where it's needed most. Along with extending the deadline for having your taxes done and other payment deferrals without incurring interest.

 

[DisLiss]

It is very possible to do it if you move to what is essentially an almost all-starch diet and buy in bulk, adding in vitamin intake from tablets. A 50-lb sack of regular rice is $16; and will provide 550 1-cup cooked portions. (Portion of quote removed for length.) Even with buying vitamins and powdered milk for the kids, you would probably have a bit of cash left over.

The things you are mentioning are hot commodities in some areas. Medicines of all kinds, including vitamins have limits on them in local stores here. I have one friend who said she cannot find powdered milk anywhere right now, for instance, and I know rice is hard to come by my way--at least plain rice is. As I said earlier, the smaller, brand name, more processed, more expensive items are what we're finding right now. So I can't stock up on plain rice even if I want to. Instead I could probably get a few boxes of super high sodium, processed rice based side dishes instead. less healthy, less food, but much more expensive per pound.

You also need to bear in mind that not everyone is able to make huge changes to their diet for medical reasons. There are many medical issues that require a specific diet and those folks are going to be forced to buy whatever they can find that meets their personal needs whether they are the more expensive items or not.

I definitely know how to stretch a food budget, and have done so many times. But I'm finding the current grocery situation is not lending itself to that at all right now. I know it will eventually correct, but I don't know for how long people will be out hoarding pasta & rice before it levels off. My family is not in any sort of financial bind right now, but I do see how for some families the thousand dollars might not go as far as for others based on food availability and what foods their families can and cannot eat.

 

[NotUrsula]

All very true, but that is now. If the market shifts so that demand for the plainer things rise, so will production. I know that the restocks around here are not including those smaller packages; what is being brought in now is more basic and in larger packages, because it is quicker to get it shipped in that state.

For those on medically-recommended diets, in most cases, eating a particular way is a recommendation to maintain lower risk; it is not usually a case of the food acting on one's system like instant poison (Celiac-Sprue being the exception that comes most quickly to mind in this discussion.) If shortages and layoffs continue, most of those folks will have to adjust from optimal and just do the best that they can.

I never said that it would be easy, just that it is technically possible.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Yes, it can, but not very nutritiously. It is very possible to do it if you move to what is essentially an almost all-starch diet and buy in bulk, adding in vitamin intake from tablets. A 50-lb sack of regular rice is $16; and will provide 550 1-cup cooked portions. At my poorest I regularly ate "rice and gravy" several times per week; large canisters of powdered meat-flavor gravy mix cost about $5, and each will make about 13 cups of gravy. You need about 1/4 cp for each portion of rice to make that. So, the rice will last a family of 4 for about 40 days if carefully portioned, and you would want several canisters of gravy mix to make it tasty. Even with buying vitamins and powdered milk for the kids, you would probably have a bit of cash left over.

No one WANTS to eat this way, but in my lifetime I've known a lot of people who had no choice.

I grew up below the poverty line in one of the poorest cities in America. I know my mom made things happen with little money. I’m also Puerto Rican so rice and beans are a staple in our diet although we have about 25 different ways to make it. Lol

But like a PP mentioned, a lot of the foods you mentioned aren’t even available in some areas. I was forced to buy a lot of higher prices things because people are hoarding all the expensive stuff.

I’ve never seen large canisters of powdered meat gravy. Didn’t even know that’s a thing.

 

[Colleen27]

Did you ever think to get your family to change their way of life and cut out some of the normal luxuries they are use to when they are bored. Just because they are bored they do not have to eat, snack and drink, try to impress upon them that life has change dramatically as they knew it and we do not know what life will bring us. Teach them to economize.

Kids are already being forced into total social isolation from friends and peers and being told their activities are cancelled indefinitely. Many are being discouraged from playing outside for fear of encountering other people or because they live in apartments and would have to travel to get to a suitable place to do so. And your suggestion is that parents should also put restrictions on their eating habits, electronic play, bathing and other in-home activities for the sake of keeping the bills from going up? How much upheaval is it really reasonable to dump on children all at once?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Kids are already being forced into total social isolation from friends and peers and being told their activities are cancelled indefinitely. Many are being discouraged from playing outside for fear of encountering other people or because they live in apartments and would have to travel to get to a suitable place to do so. And your suggestion is that parents should also put restrictions on their eating habits, electronic play, bathing and other in-home activities for the sake of keeping the bills from going up? How much upheaval is it really reasonable to dump on children all at once?

Add to this that I’m in NJ and the town next to me just closed all city parks and playgrounds. So the kids can’t even go play on the dang swings.

 

[Toolulu22]

Responding to some recent posts- I agree that $1k isn’t going to go far for a family. We’re taking this opportunity in being home for who knows how long to try new recipes and menus. We’ve sliced up lemons/oranges to add to water instead of buying drinks- which is very affordable. You can add whatever fruit you like, and even add sweetener if some in the family prefer it.

I don’t want the TV and technology being used all day long- so out come the puzzles, games, books, magazines and other things that are normally not used. Yes, an adjustment, but not a negative one. I don’t want the electricity bill to skyrocket either. My husband has work, and I am still getting paid for now (and I believe I will into the future, but not 100% certain).

I did not stock up on wine/alcohol or snacks specifically because I don’t want to use being home as an excuse to gain weight and eat/drink junk and they are expenses we can reduce now. Our gym closed on Tuesday so we have been trying to get out for walks (our Governor eliminated charges to parks) but its rained a few days.

I don’t have to buy spring clothes, gas for my car, pay for any beauty (salon/hair/makeup), and I’m sure there are other savings as well. As I clean my house, I’ll find stuff to sell on EBay.

Trying to “make lemonade“ here.

My husband is not happy about the $1k - thinks its just printing more money and adding to our national debt. Sorry if this is political- delete if it is.

 

[luvsJack]

I grew up below the poverty line in one of the poorest cities in America. I know my mom made things happen with little money. I’m also Puerto Rican so rice and beans are a staple in our diet although we have about 25 different ways to make it. Lol

But like a PP mentioned, a lot of the foods you mentioned aren’t even available in some areas. I was forced to buy a lot of higher prices things because people are hoarding all the expensive stuff.

I’ve never seen large canisters of powdered meat gravy. Didn’t even know that’s a thing.

Being the south, we normally eat a lot of beans and rice. Except now. The stores are staying empty of any kind of dried beans or canned beans. Same with rice.

 

[bakerworld]

We wouldn't qualify - still it would be nice to pay our taxes, which is another result from the changed tax structure.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I dont think we will qualify for the checks due to the income restrictions I am seeing various places.
This shutdown is saving us money - I go to concerts once a week, dinners out, had tickets to the Bulls and opening day for the White Sox. Lots of refunds coming.
But its lonely. Listening to a lot of spotify and watching Netflix.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I dont think we will qualify for the checks due to the income restrictions I am seeing various places.
This shutdown is saving us money - I go to concerts once a week, dinners out, had tickets to the Bulls and opening day for the White Sox. Lots of refunds coming.
But its lonely. Listening to a lot of spotify and watching Netflix.

we have a pretty active social life and had to cancel a trip to Clearwater, a comedy show in Atlantic City which includes an Airbnb stay (we’re 45 minutes away), a friends birthday outing and a few other things. We are saving a ton by not going out.