Friday, February 13, 2009

Only 13 Dollars a Week?


From what I am hearing President Obama's stimulus package is going to be passed in Congress tonight or sometime tomorrow and of course with 35% being tax cuts we are all wondering what size our piece of the pie is going to be. I have heard estimates from anywhere to $9-$13 a week for the average American to which many are saying: "What am I going to do with that?"


In the grand scheme of my budget, which isn't much, $13 or $26 per pay period isn't going to buy much, but in reality that is $648 a year which in a lump sum sounds alright. I would be happy with a $648 raise wouldn't you?


If that doesn't convince you, think of it this way, Open Arms for Asia (http://openarmsforasia.org/index.htm), a non-profit organization that cares for homeless orphans in India, has 17 kids that need full sponsorship at $35 a month. This $35 goes toward food, education, clothing, medical care, and many other basic needs that many of us take for granted in the United States. My family is currently supporting a young girl named Sandya whose parents died of disease and who was eating out of the city dump and begging for food until OAFA found her and brought her into their orphanage. You can see from her smile that a meager $35 has made a significant impact on her life. If that $13 a week is not enough to make a significant impact on your budget, consider giving it to someone for whom it would be life changing. According to my math you would still have $19 left over and the satisfaction that an amount that you consider a pittance is opening up a whole new world for another.


Matthew 25:21 — “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ”

2 comments:

  1. I don't know if you will understand this, but really the stimulus isn't a pay raise, its a long-term loan. Sure, it benefits now, but we will eventually be forced to pay for the $800,000,000,000 we spent. When we do, we will also have to pay interest. In the end, you will be losing thousands of dollars a year to extra taxes. What I would do with the money? Invest it while the market is low, and then you will have money for when our taxes go sky high to pay for our 11,000,000,000,000 in debt. Although, helping the impoverished is nearly as good an idea. Just be mindful that you don't inadvertently become one.

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  2. Cameron thanks for the reminder, but yes I do understand that the stimulus is all being borrowed and believe it or not, I am a fiscal conservative like you. My point was simply that I am disheartened by those who feel that the tax breaks that are part of the plan (a portion that most fiscal conservatives do support) are not enough to help anyone. I know personally of 17 kids who would be helped by that money that I have heard several suggest is insignificant. As for your suggestion about market investment, in terms of economics, it is valid. Now is a good time to invest in market, but I feel that we don't invest in others enough. Times are tough, but we are so blessed in comparison with 80% of the world's population. We need to be reminded of this and give back.

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