As New Yorkers finally get their hands on the $600 government bribes stimulus checks, thoughts on how to spend this windfall inevitably turn to savings, paying bills and apartment improvements. All fine ideas, and all boring. Here’s a couple of ways to blow that newfound money…and a few that might benefit others.


HELP YOURSELF

Get the hell out of town
Take it out East. The LIRR Cannonball express train ($30.50 on-peak, round-trip) departs Penn Station on Thursdays and Fridays at 3:58 p.m. and can shuttle weary Manhattanites to the Hamptons in just two hours—much quicker than the Jitney, which can get jammed in Long Island traffic. Believe it or not, there are cheap hotels in the area, including the Hampton Star, which is usually never more than $250 for a two-day stay (except holiday weekends). That leaves $300+ for cabs, SPF 45 and party time fun.

Rent a Rolls Royce
While the concept of picking up a date is different in the city (which subway line are you near?), showing up in a Rolls Royce is guaranteed to impress. Gotham Dream Cars (75 West End Avenue, 212-957-4400) offers up a Rolls Royce Phantom for $450 per hour; while that makes for a quick date, the leftover $$$ could be well spent on bribing the waiters to hurry up with your dinner order.

Get back on that horse
Ten one-hour riding lessons at the Pelham Bit Stables/Bronx Equestrian Center (9 Shore Road, Pelham Bay Park, 718-885-0551) can fulfill any urban cowboy fantasies. Already an expert rider? Central Park offers up six trail rides for $100 per person/hour. (Available through the Riverdale Equestrian Centre, 718-548-4848)

Get in the ring
Add wrestling to the list of sports that have gone upscale. Floor seats to the July 20 WWE Great American Bash ($300 each, Nassau Colesium, 212-307-7171) offer up a view so close, you can actually see the wrestlers pulling their punches.

Rock out
For the parents of girls only: a mere $500 gets young kid rock fans tuition to the Willie Mae Rock Camp (Urban Assembly School of Music & Art, 49 Flatbush Ave Extension, 212-777-1323) a three-day clinic held in Brooklyn (once in July and again in early August), where participants will get a crash course on playing drums/bass/guitar/keys/vocals, make ‘zines and play a show at the end of the weekend. The $100 you saved can be used to buy a cheap, used guitar at Mazzotti Music. Also note that this year has just filled up—now we're talking about getting your kid in for 2009.

HELP OTHERS

Rebuild the stock market
Stimulate Wall Street with your tax boon by picking up a share of Google, which at the time of this writing is trading for around $578. Markets willing, your stimulation check can grow. Stock shy? Add a few hundred bucks on top of the check and buy an ounce of gold.

Put some faith in the Mets
Etch your Mets fandom in stone – literally. For between $195 and $395, Willie Randolph fans can purchase a personally engraved brick that will eventually be installed in the plaza outside the new Citi Field. Proceeds will be donated to the Mets Foundation, which will in turn allocate funds to area charities. (Check mets.com or call 877-NYM-WALK for details).

Help The Police
It should take a bit of the sting out of seeing Sting—and the rest of The Police—this summer knowing that what they're calling their last show together will not only be in New York, but also ticket sales will benefit local public television. (Venue and ticket prices TBD, but expect $600 to be a good starting point)

Eat the rich
Being a foodie in New York can be expensive or rewarding; buying a ticket to the annual James Beard Foundation Awards is both. The event, co-hosted by Bobby Flay and ‘Sex and the City’ star Kim Cattrall, showcases the city’s culinary masters and features a American Artisanal tasting menu during the post-awards reception. Best of all, proceeds from the tickets ($450) help fund the James Beard Foundation, a non-profit institution that sponsors workshops, classes, scholarships and other educational resources for aspiring chefs. (June 8, 6 p.m., Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, Columbus Ave. and 65th St., 212-925-0054)

Support your country
After the primaries, candidates are eligible to receive up to $2000 from individuals for their campaign. The government that's been so good to you with these rebates? Time to give back.