This is one of the more interesting pieces of economic data floating around:

Thirty-eight percent of those receiving a refund said they intend to spend at least part of it, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll released Monday. But the spending appears to be mostly on basic needs: 17 percent said they would use the money for everyday needs such as food and clothing, up from 7 percent a year ago.

The survey found that 54 percent of those receiving refunds said they planned to pay off credit card, utility, housing and other bills. That compares with 35 percent who said the same thing a year ago.

Beyond tax refunds this suggests that much of Obama’s Keynesian stimulus activity is misguided. The mini-tax rebate (“Making Work Pay” — which is perhaps the most oddly titled tax measure ever) is, like the tax rebates, just as likely to go toward paying down consumer debt as it is to fuel more spending.

Maybe it took a big scary recession to get Americans to rediscover savings and get their personal balance sheets in order. In the long term, that may be the healthiest and smartest course for both individuals and the country as a whole. In the short term, it complicates the whole Keynesian scheme of “creating demand.” Sometimes people can’t be forced to spend, no matter how desperately their government tries.