Spending Power: What are residents doing with their stimulus checks?
Eligible folks all over Butler County are no doubt checking their bank accounts more frequently in the past few days as the $600 Economic Impact Payments — better known as stimulus checks — have begun arriving.
Payments to those who filed their federal taxes online arrive in their bank accounts electronically, while others receive a paper check.
The Internal Revenue Service is the agency overseeing the payments, which are $600 per adult and $600 per dependent child, age 16 and younger per household.
Based on their 2019 adjusted gross incomes, those earning less than $75,000 and married couples filing jointly or surviving spouses earning less than $150,000 also qualify for the $600 payment, according to IRS.gov.
Those who exceed the income limits could receive a reduced amount.
Eligible citizens received their first stimulus check in the spring, but that one was $1,200.
While recipients potentially could buy more expensive consumer goods in the spring, many are looking forward to their stimulus money for both necessities and minor extravagances.
Davis Miller, a 2015 graduate of Knoch High School, is home on a break, spending more quality time with his family before heading back to college for his senior year.
He will return to Greensboro College in North Carolina on Jan. 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The senior business major didn't qualify for the stimulus check. Still, he felt that Congress should have done more to help the people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
“Congressmen and congresswomen who make $140,000 a year: They should give more. It's our money,” Miller said. “They should do their job. We elected them and they work for us.”
Susan Andrasko, 80, of Saxonburg, recently retired after waiting tables for four decades at Café Contrary in Saxonburg.
She has yet to receive her stimulus check, but plans on leaning toward the practical when it arrives.
“I have some bills I have to catch up on,” Andrasko said.
Asked if Congress should have upped the amount of the checks, she said she worries about those struggling financially during the pandemic.
“I think they should (have),” Andrasko said. “I can get by, but there are some people worse off than I am and they should get more.”
Jim Wetzel has worked as a maintenance worker at Du-Co Ceramics for the past 39 years.
Although he hasn't yet received his stimulus check, he feels fortunate that he has been able to work steadily through the pandemic.
“Some people really do deserve to receive it,” Wetzel said. “There are people out there really struggling that aren't as fortunate as I am.”
He has plans for his stimulus money when it hits his bank account.
“I'll get caught up on my bills,” Wetzel said.
The Butler Eagle asked readers on its Facebook page how they plan to spend their stimulus funds, and many agreed with Wetzel.
The majority of those who answered replied that the money would be spent on bills.
Other replies included putting the funds toward a new furnace, purchasing food and goods locally, paying off a credit card, making a rent payment, buying a new storm door, completing small house repairs, paying property taxes and saving for a rainy day.
'Congressmen and congresswomen who make $140,000 a year: They should give more. It's our money.'<i>Davis Miller, college student from Saxonburg</i>
'There are people out there really struggling that aren't as fortunate as I am.'<I>Jim Wetzel, maintenance worker</i>
