Rebate checks: How to spend 'em

Retail worker, 27, Romulus, Mich.

I'm going to buy myself a $200 gas card, which should cover the cost of me getting to and from work for about four to five weeks. I'm going to pay $200 on my gas/electric bill - I'm currently behind.

I'll spend about $100 on diapers, which should keep me in stock for about six to eight weeks. I'll spend about $200 at the grocery store, which will last me three to four weeks. And the other $200 will be spent on my son's third birthday party in the middle of June.

Being a single mom in Michigan, which has pretty much the worst economy in the union, let me tell you, $900 doesn't go too far. Of course I'll likely be a little frivolous and also use some of my paycheck that would have normally gone to gas or groceries and take my son on a zoo trip fun day.

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