New Yorkers yesterday said they were pleased to hear a rebate check from the feds could soon be on the way – but many planned to bank it or pay off debt, not rush out on a spending spree.
“If I have extra money, I’m going to use it to pay down debt first,” said Tiffani Barton, 29, of Brooklyn, citing heavy credit-card balances.
Alexander Berger, 45, of Flushing, Queens, said he’d stash the money in a savings account.
“When I need something, I’ll use it,” he said, adding that the handout was a good idea because people are strapped for cash.
But some New Yorkers told The Post they’d be happy to blow the cash – which could be as much as $800 for individuals – on a special treat.
“I’m into designer handbags, so any bag shop would do,” said a New Jersey woman who identified herself only as Dorota J.
Irina Plaksina, 32, of Queens, intends to give the economy a boost with a weekend trip or an electronics purchase.
“I’d spend it. I would get some gadget like a notebook [computer] for my husband,” she said.
But not everyone thought the rebate checks were the best way to avoid a recession.
“Every time the government bails us out, it’s going to get us into more debt in the future,” said Michael Schneider, 26, visiting from Dallas.