( CNN ) -- What does $ 40 per paycheck mean for you and your family ? That 's what the White House is asking Americans as part of a public campaign to put pressure on the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to pass a payroll tax cut extension . The payroll tax cut is worth roughly $ 1,000 a year -- or $ 40 a paycheck -- for an average family . It affects about 160 million Americans . Responses , which ranged from the serious to the inane , began pouring in Tuesday after the White House posted the question on its Twitter and Facebook accounts : . `` It would be easier to make my student loan payments , '' tweeted Matthew Nocella . David Paul Hluchy posted on Facebook that $ 40 means `` 40 Hot Wheels mainline cars . '' iReport : What could you do with $ 40 ? The price of a tank of gas , grocery bills and prescription costs , though , appeared to be the most popular topics on the White House social media sites . `` # 40dollars is a tank of gas to get me to and from work for the week . That means two less tanks of gas a month , '' tweeted Jim Schmidt . Barb B tweeted : `` It means getting a new winter jacket for my toddler son ( he lost his last week ) & the rest for groceries . '' tweeted Barb B. Gloria Attar took it one step further , breaking it down in a tweet how she can spend the money : `` # 40dollars is school lunches for 1 mo or water bill for 2 mos ; or meat budget for 1mo w/coupons , loyalty card & store specials . '' Leslie T tweeted that $ 40 was two months worth of bowling outings with her autistic son . The payroll tax cut debate on the White House Facebook page , though , resembled the congressional logjam with people throwing barbs at Republicans and Democrats as well as at one another . `` If I have $ 1,000 less , I 'll spend $ 1,000 less . Is Congress prepared to do the same to extend the tax cuts ? '' Tara Eudy asked in her post . Republican and Democrats in the House and Senate have taken to the airwaves over the issue , with Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona saying the tax cut must be extended to help out Americans still struggling in the economic recovery . It was a response echoed , albeit a bit differently , by Karen Tanner who posted a two word answer on the White House Facebook page : . `` What paycheck ? ''
White House asks public what $ roughly $ 1,000 a paycheck means . Responses pour in to White House Twitter and White House accounts . The payroll tax cut is worth 40 a year -- or $ 40 a paycheck -- for an average family . It affects 1 Americans , White House says .