Tax Rebate Check: Why Do You Do It?
For your consideration: Tax Rebate Check: Why Do You Do It?
We were sitting around thinking of easy ways to waste money.
Our big questions were for the following:
- Eating out.
- Alcohol.
- Designer clothing for children.
- Consumer electronics.
- Food that you don’t actually intend on eating.
- Porn.
- Gambling.
It’s not like we actually have answers to these questions. We have more of, what you would say, antidotes: 1) Eating in is cheaper than eating out; 2) Alcohol from the liquor store is always cheaper than the bar; 3) Clothes from hand-me-down stores, et cetera, are fine for your kids; 4) Paying a little more attention to all those cans of corn you don’t eat as an indicator that you shouldn’t buy more canned corn is cheaper than not paying attention to what’s in your pantry; 5) Porn is free all over the internet; 6) Gambling is something you do with your life everyday, why push it in the casino?
These are easy and really, really common antidotes to common money-waster issues.
The Money Kings want to know why you do it. You’ve got a bunch of answers. Some of those answers are great; some are lame. Big deal.
What we want to know is: Why the hell will most of you spend your tax rebate check on consumer electronics?
This opinion of the product of Bush’s tax rebate program is currently being spread all over the news. (As a sidebar: The Money Kings fully support the rebate program. Hell no we don’t think it’ll do anything to help Americans RULE their money. That’s what we’re here for . . . We do think, however, that all of our government officials are overpaid and therefore believe that most, if not all, Americans are entitled to some long-due payout.)
We’re drinking he Kool-Aid on this one folks, because soooooooo many of you bought iPhones when they first came out. People camp out overnight to get the latest PS3 console. It seems that EVERYONE has to have a flat panel TV in their homes even when their existing television works just fine. If the major networks say that electronics are one of the most popular items on which Americans will spend their rebates, so be it.
Gadget lust just astounds us, but it’s rampant in our culture. Eating out is fun and different for the whole family. Alcohol is a drug. Clothing is a necessity, and sometimes you get ridiculed if you’re not wearing the “right” gear. Food you don’t eat makes a great donation for someone else during the canned food drive. Porn is a great escape from the boring world of whatever relationship you’re in. Gambling is also an escape.
One truth in all of this is that consumer electronics never retain their value, and that patience with these items is always a virtue.
If you can simply wait a year to make that “great” electronics purchase, you’re guaranteed to save 30-60% off the regular retail price. It’s such a simple concept. Consumer electronics are always overpriced when they hit the shelves, but people simply must own them IMMEDIATELY thereby justifying the price in the mind of the market.
Why do you do it, reader?
Well, we guess since you’re now Money King, you won’t!
Good luck out there.
Keywords: money, tax, rebate, check, electronics, better, ways, to, use, money
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I think the rebates are
I think the rebates are stupid. Mostly because they are an attempt to fix something but is only a band aid and doesn't address the deeper issues. I'd rather have them lower taxes permanently than giving me a small percentage of my total tax payments back. It's MY money to begin with so they're just returning a slight amount back to me. It's like being robbed of $20 and getting back $2. :( Grr. I hate it.
And yet when I get some of MY money back I will either spend it on new tires for my car or put it in our savings account. :)
Two things
One: I'm always amazed at how much kids clothes and toys I see at garage sales. Why buy something new, when you can get it for a quarter and it's probably been worn once or twice, if at all?
Two: Electronics is filled with lack of information and misinformation. 99% of flat panel TVs (for instance) are purchased by people that have no idea that the HDTV standards are, how resolution works on their TV, etc etc. You don't have become an electrical engineer, but a half our of internet research before you plunk down 3 large on an LCD would be huge for most people.
If people reading this take nothing else away, take this: NEVER purchase entertainment/recreational technology when it's new.
Amen,
Brother! Or Sister . . . (if you're female "dood")
The wife and I will be
The wife and I will be saving some of our rebate, and using some to pay down debt. No plasma TV for me!
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