Consumers Opt for Staples With Tax Rebate Checks

* paying down debt was the most common response from consumers on their plans for the money, receiving the lion share of the funds ($28.1 billion), followed by saving it ($20.1 billion), paying medical bills ($4.9 billion) and investing it ($3.4 billion);

* young adults (ages 18 to 24) will spend more of their checks (43.5 percent) than any other age group; and