How I'm helping the economy . . .
The Fourth of July is all about getting into the patriotic spirit. For some, that can include how you spend your money. Here are some thoughts on spending to serve your country.
Hand holding dollars with U.S. flag in background. (iStockPhoto)
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Stacey Vanek-Smith: The Fourth of July is, of course, all about getting into the patriotic spirit. For some of us, that can include how you spend your money. Here are some thoughts on spending to serve your country.
Michael Holland: I'm Michael Holland and I live in Alta Dena, Calif. Believe it or not, paying taxes is patriotic. Oliver Wendell Holmes said that paying taxes, although he didn't like it, it bought civilization.
We were given the option of a parcel tax with the proceeds specifically going to these two libraries, $40 a year, maybe not even that much, to bring in WiFi, increase the books, increase the programs.
My wife and I, that was what we wanted to support, that was something very dear to us. We make sure we use it. We go out of our way to use it.
Kate Stroebel: My name is Kate Stroebel from Sheridan, Wyo. I'd never really done anything with the stock market. But right after Election Day, I bought my first stock online as my own way of boosting the economy.
I purchased shares in infrastructure, as well as renewable energy. I thought if more people put money in, rather than take money out, first of all, you're getting terrific bargains. And if it can help keep people in jobs or create jobs, all the better.
Barbara Cherem: Barbara Cherem from Ann Arbor, Mich. I think a patriotic decision I've made is to give time, as well as some money, to charities, because it builds a certain sense of reciprocity for one another as citizens.
Ben Braun: Guten morgen. Dies ist Ben Braun. My name is Ben Braun, I'm from Cloquet, Minn., and I currently live in Rostock, Germany.
Whenever a German talks about the credit crisis, they always say, "Well, America's credit crisis," giving us ownership to it. So, I hope that I'm helping just by contributing with work. I still have some investments and some money in U.S. banks. It's not under my mattress. Someone, somewhere is doing something with it.
For the Fourth of July, I've looked around at a couple different grocery stores. As of yet, I have not found any American beer. I'm going to a bigger city this weekend. I'm going to Hamburg and maybe I can get a Budweiser or something there.
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