Have you received your stimulus check yet? There’s been a lot of, I guess you could call it, “hubbub,” about it ever since the CARES Act was signed into law. CARES stands for (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security).
So what does this mean for all of us? How are we supposed to get this money and what should we do with it? Last week I read an interesting article from MPR talking about different ways people are using their relief checks. Some people are saving the money for a rainy day, and others are simply giving the money to those who need it more than they. The majority of the people who fell in the second category mentioned how they have not felt the economic impact of the pandemic because they are among those fortunate enough to be going to work still.
I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to do with mine. There are a lot of things I could spend the money on, but I think I’m falling more into the first category, the saving category.
What are you thinking of doing with your relief check? That is, if you do receive one. I’m already hearing a lot of chatter and reading stories about the possibility of another relief check. Or the recurrence of checks until the end of the pandemic. I’m not too optimistic about the possibility of the government sending everyone money every month. But then again, I didn’t think I, nor anyone for that matter, was going to receive the first relief check.
Part of me wonders if it would be necessary to supplement income for the next six months to a year. But small businesses and people out of a job are hurting. I feel like living in a small town, I am not feeling the full impact that many, many people are feeling. We are still fortunate enough to be open here at the paper, but like most small businesses right now, are worried about the future.
As have most surrounding towns, New Richland has called off its annual fair. I know Farm and City Days isn’t what it used to be with the lack of fair attractions and rides, but it’s still something that people look forward to. And now it's cancelled. Ellendale Days and a plethora of other fairs are all cancelled. For many, that means missing out on a tradition that many look forward to. For us at the paper, we feel a financial impact from the loss. Businesses in our town and the surrounding towns support us and the local fairs by sponsoring, or rather advertising, for the schedules and events for each fair. That is not going to happen this year.
With all of that said, it makes me wonder about my question from before, “How much help does everyone need?” I don’t have the answer for you. All I have is my perspective in my situation. It’s harder to ignore the pandemic the more it starts to affect your everyday life. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. As Bob Hanson wrote this week, I hope we can all look forward to the day when we can say, “Remember when?”