You never forget your first stimulus

[RJ]

Like most of you, I have looked at the stimulus plan, read the title, scanned a few talking points that I heard about on talk radio and, in the end, asked myself....."What's In It For Me?".

As many of you know, I sell flooring. Like all household related items, our industry has been hard hit of late. This afternoon a customer came in to write me a check for a 7K flooring job. He said he would not have made the purchase had it not been for the 8K credit he was receiving as part of the stimulus for a first time home buyer. Apparently similar credits had existed before but had to be paid back, the new one does not. So in this instance, the credit is going straight back into the economy, as was intended. And you'll all be heartened to know that the floor he purchased is manufactured by a company owned by Warren Buffet.

I'd have posted this in DC but I don't have any latex gloves or disinfectant. If you would like to respond with your own tale of stimulation (and I hope you will), please keep it lounge friendly.

[Ceej]

I also sell hardwood flooring.

Whereabouts do you work? If you don't mind me asking.

[Saul Good]

One time, this guy took $8,000 of my tax money and bought flooring for his new house.

[RJ]

I also sell hardwood flooring.

Whereabouts do you work? If you don't mind me asking.


I work in Albuquerque selling stuff people walk on.......carpet and wood and such.

Whereabouts do you work? If you don't mind me asking.

[Ceej]

I work for Lumber Liquidators here in Wichita..

[Mr. Flopnuts]

I work in Albuquerque selling stuff people walk on.......carpet and wood and such.

Whereabouts do you work? If you don't mind me asking.

If I call and ask for RJ, will they pick up what I'm laying down?

[RJ]

If I call and ask for RJ, will they pick up what I'm laying down?



We're in flooring, it's our job to pick up that which is laid down.

[RJ]

I work for Lumber Liquidators here in Wichita..



Are you staying busy? Your company really works the low price market, which is a good thing right now. I run up against them here all the time, though we're really apples and oranges. Well, maybe more like apples and pears.

[Ceej]

Yeah. Our sales increase the latter part of the month.

We're projected to be a 350k store. We'll see about that. We haven't been open for spring or an entire summer. So, it will be interesting to see how that goes for us.

[cdcox]

Some of our state's stimulus package will go to my university, which will greatly mitigate, but not eliminate, the deep budget cuts we were facing beginning in July. It won't result in any money in my pocket, but it will make it much easier to operate, and much less stressful, next year.

[Bugeater]

I'll do my part by going to Warren's house and busting up his lawn furniture, forcing him to buy new stuff.

[RJ]

Some of our state's stimulus package will go to my university, which will greatly mitigate, but not eliminate, the deep budget cuts we were facing beginning in July. It won't result in any money in my pocket, but it will make it much easier to operate, and much less stressful, next year.


Valid point. Something that is overlooked in the job loss statistics is the additional workload placed on those who are still employed. Salaried people work longer hours to get it all done, hourly people are expected to complete the additional tasks in the same number of hours.

Not that I'm bitching, I'm happy just to be back at work. But not everything is revealed in the numbers.

[Buehler445]

Didn't you get laid off, RJ? Or am I thinking about someone else?

[reiko57]

i dont post too often, but fuck your tax stimulus, you think someone paying 7000 bucks of other peoples money to you is a good thing, its not. what would really help me is to totally slide on my taxes, i'm not even looking for ways to suck off other people but apparently there are a few that don't mind it, thanks for making things harder on me

[BWillie]

I'm going to be a first time home buyer this year, and I'll get the 8 grand, and I still think it's stupid. Successful people should not have to spread their wealth to others just because they've reached hard times. Hell, I made 15 thousand dollars more than I did in 2008 than I did in 2007, so I'm hardly on hard times. But I thank you all for your money. Just remember when pay your taxes to put "To BWillie007 who will spend it on one legged hookers and more jagerbombs down at the Power and Light district"

[Bugeater]

Didn't you get laid off, RJ? Or am I thinking about someone else?
He did, but he has since been re-employed.

[jjjayb]

The credit does have to be payed back. They will start adding it back to your taxes in 2 years. If you take the full $7500 credit they will add $500 to your taxes starting in 2010 until it is payed back.

[DaFace]

The credit does have to be payed back. They will start adding it back to your taxes in 2 years. If you take the full $7500 credit they will add $500 to your taxes starting in 2010 until it is payed back.

That was the old version.

[Fire Me Boy!]

What's the definition of "first-time" homebuyer? I know for FHA loans, you can't have owned in the past five years. After five years, you become a first-time homebuyer again. Is that the case with this stimulus thing?

[BigRichard]

i dont post too often, but **** your tax stimulus, you think someone paying 7000 bucks of other peoples money to you is a good thing, its not. what would really help me is to totally slide on my taxes, i'm not even looking for ways to suck off other people but apparently there are a few that don't mind it, thanks for making things harder on me

I love the idiots that just don't get it. Sir, you are one of those idiots.

[BigRichard]

I'm going to be a first time home buyer this year, and I'll get the 8 grand, and I still think it's stupid. Successful people should not have to spread their wealth to others just because they've reached hard times. Hell, I made 15 thousand dollars more than I did in 2008 than I did in 2007, so I'm hardly on hard times. But I thank you all for your money. Just remember when pay your taxes to put "To BWillie007 who will spend it on one legged hookers and more jagerbombs down at the Power and Light district"

At least you will be putting it back into the economy. Hookers need to pay rent too. Another moron that doesn't get it. But thanks.

[DaFace]

What's the definition of "first-time" homebuyer? I know for FHA loans, you can't have owned in the past five years. After five years, you become a first-time homebuyer again. Is that the case with this stimulus thing?

There's a similar definition I'm pretty sure. Seems like it's 3 years, but I'm not sure of that.

[MagicHef]

There's a similar definition I'm pretty sure. Seems like it's 3 years, but I'm not sure of that.

Yep, it's 3 years for the tax credit.

[Rain Man]

I'm going to be a first time home buyer this year, and I'll get the 8 grand, and I still think it's stupid. Successful people should not have to spread their wealth to others just because they've reached hard times. Hell, I made 15 thousand dollars more than I did in 2008 than I did in 2007, so I'm hardly on hard times. But I thank you all for your money. Just remember when pay your taxes to put "To BWillie007 who will spend it on one legged hookers and more jagerbombs down at the Power and Light district"


Y'know, you could really make a powerful statement and probably get some good press coverage if you gave half of that credit to someone like me, whose big stimulus incentive is two percent off the price of a new car.

[MIAdragon]

One time, this guy took $8,000 of my tax money and bought flooring for his new house.

LMAO

[Garcia Bronco]

One time, this guy took $8,000 of my tax money and bought flooring for his new house.

LOL

[Iowanian]

WUT R U DOIN STIMULATIN YER JOB POCKET BUK WITH JOB STIM'LIS MONAAAAAY!!??

I don't like the entire bill, but I understand what they're doing. Things like this, that actually go back into the private sector, actually DO help businesses stay open and keep people employed. If enough people buy new wood floors, RJ just might have to hire another driver and another installer or two.

I'm working on something now. Its likely my fledgeling company will get some additional work because of this, and potentially create a couple of tech jobs in a rural, economically repressed area.

I'd alot rather working guys like RJ get some reward from this than buy new 108" bigscreens for non-producer American slobs.

[TEX]

One time, this guy took $8,000 of my tax money and bought flooring for his new house.

:clap: LOL! Sad but true...

[RJ]

Didn't you get laid off, RJ? Or am I thinking about someone else?


Yes, I did, but another company took over the lease on the store I managed and hired me to run it again. For the most part, things worked out for the best.

[The Buddha]

What I don't understand is people complaining about where the money is going.

Isn't it intentional to create stupid jobs and other things, just to employ people? I mean, the reason they want to fix roads and ATV paths isn't to fix the roads, its to give people jobs while getting something out of it, like the TVA... right?

[Iowanian]

People complain about where the money is going....because of where it is coming FROM, and what its supposed to DO.


If I'm your neighbor and I give you money to paint your house, so it will increase property values in our neighborhood, and you show up with new gold flake 22s on your AMC Pacer with the airbags...I'm going to be pissed off.

[teedubya]

My wife gave me some package stimulus last night.

[Inspector]

I don't want no dang stimulus. I want a bail out.

Those sound a lot better to me.

[alpha_omega]

As a matter of fact i did forget my first stimulus.

When i was doing my tax stuff last night, they asked me how much my stimulus check was for in 2008....well, it was so insignificant i had to go back to my June bank statement for the answer.

[Skip Towne]

Come to think of it, I need stimulated as well.

[ModSocks]

People complain about where the money is going....because of where it is coming FROM, and what its supposed to DO.


If I'm your neighbor and I give you money to paint your house, so it will increase property values in our neighborhood, and you show up with new gold flake 22s on your AMC Pacer with the airbags...I'm going to be pissed off.

Well, the money went to the company who sold the 22's and the airbags, thus helping said companies employ people.

I'm in the aftermarket auto industry. Though we haven't really felt the crunch of the economy due to the people we cater too, I have seen an increase in parts sales. A huge increase. both January and February were better months for us, parts sales-wise, then we had for any of the last 6 months of 08. Don't know if i can chalk that up to stimulus or not, but interesting.

When people start "wasting" money on cars, it helps me keep a job. So, by all means, buy some 22's for your AMC.

[Bill Lundberg]

With regard to the first time homebuyer credit. Everything you need can be found here

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/home2.html

[bobbymitch]

I don't what I'll be sent. $500 for SS, perhaps. $500 for VA disability, perhaps. Both, don't know. I'll find out when it gets direct deposited.

I need to buy new carpet, wood flooring, and bathroom floor tile. It'll depend on financing terms. That will be my contribution to the local economy.

[Mark M]

I don't like the entire bill, but I understand what they're doing.

I find the bill ridiculous on a number of levels, and sure as hell don't like the idea of our elected leaders treating all that cash like Monopoly money.

But there's a simple reality at work here: There is no other entity able to get enough money into the economy fast enough to help stop the bleeding. There just isn't. And it sucks.

And while not anywhere near perfect, nor large enough to truly address the issue, it will hopefully help enough to loosen the economic gears a bit.

The frightening part is that if this doesn't work, the only retailers who will see growth are those selling torches and pitchforks ...

MM
~~:)

[RJ]

FWIW, my customer, the first time home buyer, is a mid-40's couple who never bought a house before because they've been moving all over the country and the world for the past 20 years while he was in the Air Force. He recently retired and they moved to Albuquerque where he was able to find work in his field while also being reasonably close to his daughter who is in college in Colorado Springs. Not that it changes the economics, I just think it's worth mentioning.

I agree, it would piss me off if the guy was spending the money on big screen TV's made in China - and lots of it will be spent on just that - but in this particular instance I can attest that the money is doing what it's meant to do.

I'm not plugging the plan. In fact, I'm not even sure I favor it. Just relating a story pertaining to a subject that is going to be with us for a while.

[DaFace]

FWIW, my customer, the first time home buyer, is a mid-40's couple who never bought a house before because they've been moving all over the country and the world for the past 20 years while he was in the Air Force. He recently retired and they moved to Albuquerque where he was able to find work in his field while also being reasonably close to his daughter who is in college in Colorado Springs. Not that it changes the economics, I just think it's worth mentioning.

I agree, it would piss me off if the guy was spending the money on big screen TV's made in China - and lots of it will be spent on just that - but in this particular instance I can attest that the money is doing what it's meant to do.

I'm not plugging the plan. In fact, I'm not even sure I favor it. Just relating a story pertaining to a subject that is going to be with us for a while.

Actually, as sad as it may be, a person who spends the extra cash on a TV would do more for the economy than a person who saves it all like I hope to.

[Buehler445]

Yes, I did, but another company took over the lease on the store I managed and hired me to run it again. For the most part, things worked out for the best.

Glad to hear it man.