Rebate checks: How to spend 'em

Data control analyst, 22, Piedmont, S.C.

We plan to spend our rebates. My husband and I just got married last week so we will still be getting ours as singles.

My husband's will be used to pay part of our house payment, since the expense of gas totaling $140 a week has kept our budget tight.

My check will go toward paying for some of our furniture to help get us out of debt. Luckily in the past two years that we had dated, we were able to fish ourselves out of major credit card debt and pay off six credit cards. Now we are just using every extra cent to pay off our last one....furniture credit.

Times are tough but we know that if we can just get out of debt and be broke until then, then we will have extra money for saving and spending and one less thing hanging over our head. (Everyone knows nothing hangs over one's head quite as bad as credit card debt!!!)

NEXT: Frank Velez: Summertime blues