The tax rebate checks sent Americans' after-tax incomes up by the biggest monthly amount in more than three decades, the Commerce Department said this morning. And now we know how at least some of the dough was spent. Some excerpts from howispentmystimulus.com. If you go to the site there are pictures, too. HT Big Picture.

"We spent our check on car repair. Don't you know the engine failed the week before our check came. So we stimulated an mechanic shop (which is fine). Our original plan was to finish paying off the car that we repaired... Still working on that."

"We paid for our all inclusive fees at a Mexican resort. Dos mas cervezas, por favor, Senor!"

"We are putting aside the money to pay for our 10-month-old daughter's childcare. Our $1500 check will pay for about 6 weeks of care at 30 hours per week. Maybe a little will be left over so we can buy her some clothes that aren't Mommy's hand-me-downs!"

"I bought a Beretta M9 because I've been wanting to get a pistol for a long time. Finally got to do it. Now I'm hooked and saving for a Sig P220 in .40S&W."

"I purchased a Nikon D40 DSLR that I've been lusting over for almost two years. It's finally mine! Now I just need to figure out how to use this fancy piece of equipment..."

"I lost hours at work and used the stimulus as a buffer. Kind of a drag considering I had already purchased a used bicycle for $200 with the idea that the stimulus would pay for it. Oh well, with any luck the bicycle will pay for itself. I blame corporate america. Enough is enough. This has gone on too long. I want my hours back. "

I haven't found any that said: "I used the stimulus to increase by Roth IRA and 401(k) contributions."