Rebate checks could fund landscape improvements

Jeff Edgar with Silver Creek Nurseries in Manitowac, Wis., offers a few thoughts on how consumers could spend economic stimulus checks that will be hitting mailboxes this summer.

You probably have received your notice from the Feds about the economic stimulus payment checks that some of us will be receiving in May.

According to the president, this money is to be used to buy things and not for paying off debt. Although some will pay off existing bills, some are probably thinking the money would put a dent in the cost of a HDTV or something similar. While that might be good, the profit from a sale like that goes out of the country.

What better way is there for people to enhance their homes than to use this money to buy plants or put it toward a landscaping project? The money will be spent on goods and services instead of reducing any personal debt and most, if not all of it, stays local.

Most landscaping plants are produced in this country, sold by local nurseries and installed by American companies. When the economy comes back, any landscape improvements will just add to the value of homes.

If this interests you, there's still time for you to advertise this idea to your potential customers and just maybe we can benefit from a greater portion of this money.

Just a thought on Tax Day ...

-- Jeff Edgar