Bonus payments used on cards and mortgages

More than half of families and pensioners who will receive lump sum payments this fortnight as part of the federal government's economic stimulus package are planning to pay off debts. 54% of people said they would use the $1,000 plus payments to pay down their mortgages, credit cards or personal loans. 23% said they would save the money. Only 11% said they were planning to use the payments to buy Christmas presents.