Most people are starting to see their checks roll in this week. We all know you should save it or use it to pay off bills, but there is a good balance of spending and saving.

If you’re like the Harkins, you’ve already spent your check in your head. Justin spends a Wednesday night shopping around for a new plasma TV at Best Buy, thinking about how cool it will be to watch sports on the big screen. His wife, Lindsey, thinks it might be better to save the money.

“We’re also getting ready to buy a house so we’re deciding whether to fence the backyard or get a new TV or what we want to do with it,” says Justin.

“Possibly the worst thing they could do is what my dad would say, ‘just fritter it away’,” says Tom Castor, a financial advisor with Edward Jones. Castor says people should invest for the long term, but adds it also wouldn’t hurt to spend a little of the money.

“I think it would be important to spend part of it because that’s what it’s all about--economic stimulation,” says Castor. “We need that.”

Most financial advisors will tell you to save the money, invest it, or pay off debt, but if you want a little more guidance, some advisors suggest trying to do this:

35% into housing
25% into living expenses
15% into debt
15% into transportation
10% into savings

“That’s easy for them to say they make a lot more money than most people do,” laughs Justin.

Once the money is spread out, it doesn’t look like much. Perhaps that’s why Justin and Lindsey are leaning towards something that stacks up really nice.

“It would be alright if we spent it,” says Justin. “It was unexpected money to begin with.”

Financial advisors at Edward Jones say you don’t need a lot of money to invest. They’ll start accounts with just $250.