Rebate checks: How to spend 'em

Warranty administrator, 27, Waukesha, Wis.

In February, my boyfriend and I got engaged which caused me and my children to lose our economic aid from the county we live in.

Our income according to the county is too high by $300 to receive food benefits anymore (which we received before). We also had to repay two months of benefits and our daycare expenses went up as a result of the loss of daycare assistance.

We are anxiously awaiting our rebate checks in May to try to get ahead. I recently went grocery shopping and spent $185 for approximately 10 days of food. I bought mostly store brands and found nearly pennies of difference between the store and name brands.

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