2008.04.23
The call for your check
You better watch out. Now is when retailers are beginning to entice you to spend your federal stimulus checks.
Planning to spend all of your check on groceries? Kroger is encouraging consumers to shift their stimulus checks onto its gift cards. Beginning on May 2, when the first checks are sent, if you load your money onto a Kroger gift card, the grocer says it will add some value to it.
For example, loading a $300 check will total $330 on a Kroger card. Putting $1,200 on the card will give you four $330 cards for a total of $1,320, according to Kroger. This will last until July 31.
The push isn’t only happening at retailers. This morning, a radio station that was raising money for its operation encouraged people to pledge a certain portion of their stimulus checks to the cause.
Have you heard of other promotions like this?
I read that Sears will give a 10 percent bonus to people who convert their stimulus check into a Sears or Kmart gift card.
Comment by Justin Seate — April 23, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
Thanks for the information about the Kmart/Sears promotion, Justin. They are using a similar method as Kroger by encouraging gift card spending. Once totals are loaded onto gift cards, it is a guarantee that the money will be spent at that store.
Comment by Jenny — April 23, 2008 @ 1:49 pm