What are you doing with your gov't rebate check?

Now that the rebate checks are in the mail and the economic stimulus package is well under way, what are the consumers doing? Clearly the government is hoping you will spend, spend, spend. Unfortunately for retailers, the needle barely moved on consumer spending which was up only 0.2% in April. I had expected more companies to actively market to $106.7 billion up for grabs after Congress passed the bill in February. So far the only thing noticeable is the lack of spending by the consumer and the lack of marketing by the advertisers.

Perhaps overcoming four straight months of job losses, a wobbly stock market, plunging home prices and record high gasoline price hasn't left consumers in a buying mood no matter where the money is coming. But that would be responsible buying behavior and that's NOT the American consumer I know.