PHOENIX — With so many Americans out of work, the much-anticipated stimulus check will be a welcomed addition to accounts everywhere. However, that "deposit" may not make enough of a difference for everyone on the receiving end.
Small business owners like Amber Pechin say, while no one will argue with the fact that every little bit helps, it simply doesn't give those without jobs enough peace of mind.
"Every little bit does help right now especially when things are uncertain and tenuous as to what the future is going to look like," she said.
Pechin is also a single mother of four and says her stimulus money made its way to her account.
"I was honestly surprised. Nothing else about this has gone as planned or as been advertised, so when it showed up even though it's been promised for weeks, it came through and it was a nice surprise," she said.
Pechin said those funds will go straight toward essential bills.
"All of our utilities we pay for, we can afford to feed ourselves, certainly it's less than my normal paycheck, but that's not completely gone, so it's a good balance. In reality, it's going to help us stay home and stay healthy," she said.
Like most Americans, Pechin has seen a decline in income, as a small business owner who's in marketing, she relies on contracts and clients, most who are cutting back during the quarantine.
"Those are fewer and farther between because business is changing. If they can afford to be in a holding pattern, they are. We've seen more clients put things on hold. Everybody's waiting to see how things settle. They want to wait and see what happens before they commit to anything new," she said.
She's thankful for the $2.2 trillion rescue package signed by Congress but is still skeptical about how long we can sustain being in self-isolation and not working.
"The uncertainty and anxiety of not knowing if there will be another payment, if the restrictions will be lifted soon enough to go back to work or if they should be looking for something else," Pechin said.
Plus, she worries about others who are waiting on similar deposits in order to dodge displacement from their homes or their jobs.
"My heart breaks for them and it's one of those things where you feel so helpless as a human when you can't just go do things and help people," she said.
Meanwhile, federal officials say 80 million people will be paid electronically by mid-week, again a welcomed gesture given the circumstances.
"Now that people are starting to see it, I'm a lot less skeptical, it would be nice to have the security of knowing everyone can pay for their basic living essentials all the time, it's a nice safety net to have," Pechin added.
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