President Bush is pushing an economic stimulus package sized from $140 billion to $150 billion [1], which may mean a rebate check will be headed for your mailbox. The White House is considering rebates of up to $800 for individuals and $1,600 for married couples. A similar package was rolled out in 2001 and checks were issued in sums of $300 or $600. Surprisingly, most people spent their checks [2] instead of saving or using the money to pay off credit and that's what the White House is hoping for this time around, too.

Source [3]