Ever since Monday I've been stuck with a pressing dilemma: What to do with my economic stimulus payment. To be frank, I was actually surprised to receive a letter from the IRS this week since the payment schedule for those who had filed their returns electronically had passed. I assumed that I was unable to qualify for one.

Without giving away my adjusted gross income, I always knew that I wouldn't get the full $600 that was distributed to most single taxpayers, but I wasn't exactly sure if I'd get a fraction of that. And I don't mean to seem ungrateful or anything, but when I read the letter and found out that I would receive a windfall of $6.95, as you can imagine, I was kind of taken aback, so I immediately called friends and family members to inform them of my newfound fortune.

I mean, what exactly is a person to do with $6.95 in this day and age anyway? With soaring inflation, I'll be lucky to buy myself a one-way bus ticket down the block.

At least consumers with full-sized payments took to the malls in the second quarter, boosting retail sales – let's see how long that lasts. But I just don't know how my $6.95 is going to stimulate anything. I've narrowed my list of options. Here's what I've been grappling with.

• Drizzle my gas tank. I was thinking about running to the gas station and put 1 ¾ gallons of gas in my car, but that might not be a good idea. For $4 a gallon, by the time I get out of the gas station lot, I'll probably run out of gas.
• Buy a share of Ford (NYSE: F). This stock has been beaten to the pulp as gas prices have weakened auto sales. Maybe if I hold out I can gain a couple of dollars on my single share as the company gears up for a shift to smaller cars.
• Dollar stores watch out. I could go on a shopping spree at my local dollar store. I should be able to bag about six items plus tax, and at the same time help support some of these struggling mom and pop stores.
• Buy a box of Froot Loops. In my recent trips to the supermarket, I've cringed at the soaring prices of food. I'm thinking I might be able to stretch my dollar with a box of cereal. Yes, the boxes are smaller and sell for the same price, but at least I might be able to make several meals out of it.