by Dana Dwinell-Yardley

Now, I know this is going to sound like something I would never say in a million years, but it's true. Last week I went shopping — and I came home happier for it.

This sounds like something I'd never say in a million years because it's something I'd never do in million years. I don't like spending money. I don't like owning junk. I don't like wandering around looking at junk that I could spend money on. Shopping is generally a waste of my time. But last week, it was different.

I am now the proud owner of a brand-new commuter bicycle that the United States government kindly purchased for me.

Bear with me while I explain. And keep reading to the end. It's worth it.

Okay, so I live in Montpelier. I got a job last fall working part-time in Northfield, which is about 10 miles away. All of a sudden, I found myself commuting. I drive a Prius and it's only 20 minutes each way, but still. . . this whole commuting thing goes against my values. It's not good for the planet, it's not good for my gas bill, and it's not good for my body. I'm the kind of person who would much rather spend 20 minutes playing a game of Ultimate Frisbee than 20 minutes in a car.

So I decided that, come spring, I was going to start bicycling to work. I'm not a big cyclist — I have a large-kids-sized mountain bike (with tires made for dirt roads, not pavement) that shifts and brakes sort of kind of okay most of the time; fine for biking the six or seven blocks to the State House or grocery store, not so fine for commuting. Hence last week's shopping trip. I marched myself over to Onion River Sports after work last Friday, as I had heard they were having a pre-season sale.

The place was busy. I waited for the staff to sell bicycles to the other customers filling the store — a little boy graduating from training wheels being shown how hand brakes and shifting gears work, a father buying his daughter her first adult-size bike, various cabin-fever-addled adult riders. After examining the options with a knowledgeable staffer, I decided on a light blue women's-specific model, fast and light and comfortable, with an equally enjoyable price tag of $389. Adding a rack and panniers, plus tax, my total came to $500. I redeemed a birthday gift card (thanks, Grandma!) and handed over my Working Assets plastic for the remaining $300.

As I said, I don't generally like spending money. But this purchase felt good. I was happy about it. The atmosphere in Onion River Sports made for an optimistic experience — the place was full of people who were excited about bicycles! As I thought about it, I began to get excited too. Not driving my car to work anymore! Fresh air! Lower gas bills! Getting from Point A to Point B on a 100 percent clean, renewable, low-impact mode of transportation! $300 well spent, I said. I love it.

But here's the good part. You know those Economic Stimulus Package checks the federal government is going to be dishing out to each one of us consumer-culture-crazy citizens, the ones to supposedly help pull our country out of the financial hole we've dug ourselves onto? (Nothing like printing free money for everybody when the federal budget is farther in the red than it has ever been. . .) Recently I heard about this website, www.keepitinvermont.org, started by a bunch of Vermonters who say just that — keep this "free" money in Vermont, and support local businesses and investments instead of the failing national economy. Sounds like a great idea to me. So I checked it out. They have this nifty calculator that tells you the amount of your economic stimulus check after you plug in a few numbers from your tax return.

Guess what? My check is estimated to be $300. I pledged it all, right away — my shiny new light blue dollars with a rack and panniers are staying right here.

Thanks for the bike, Uncle Sam. I sure appreciate the thoughtfulness. You'll be helping this Vermonter reduce her dependence on foreign oil, get outside more often, and support local business in her beloved state. Now that's what I call an economic stimulus package.

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About Common Sense
Common Sense is written by Jane Dwinell and Dana Dwinell-Yardley, a mother-daughter blog team. They live on an urban homestead in Montpelier. Send them your questions and comments about food, fuel, family, or financial independence! Write to mountaingirl at vtlink dot net. You can also check out some of their other writings at their website: www.spiritoflifepublishing.com.