Nondurable goods increased 2.4 percent, compared with an increase of 0.6 percent.

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The study found that the average household spent 20% to 40% of its rebate on nondurable goods during the three-month period the money was received.

FORBES: Wharton On The Economic Stimulus Package

Souleles and his colleagues also found that in the three months during which the rebates were received, low-income households spent 63% more of the money on nondurable goods than high-income households did, buying things like food, clothing and health-related items.

FORBES: Wharton On The Economic Stimulus Package