Some 200 Utahns have joined a White House effort to show just what $40 means to a typical family every paycheck -- the average hit an American family will take now that House Republicans have rejected a measure to extend a payroll tax cut.

Overall, more than 20,000 Americans have submitted their own stories pointing out that while critics may not think $40 a paycheck is very much, it can mean the difference between paying a bill or not, buying more groceries or going without or as, Marjie B. of Salt Lake City says, putting away for her son's college every month.

"$40 a paycheck, $80 a month doesn't seem like much, but it would definately help pay the higher cost of heating my home this winter," writes Teresa E. of Salt Lake City.

Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee joined with Democrats to pass a two-month extension of the 2 percent payroll tax cut but then later blamed Democrats when House Republicans banded together to say that the Senate version isn't enough; House Republicans, including Rep. Jason Chaffetz, say the process was shortsighted and the Senate should have stayed in session to pass a longer-term package.

On Wednesday, the White House offered a sampling of submissions from Utahns who have gone online to share their reasonings why the payroll tax hike will hurt them.

A few examples:

Melissa F., Bluffdale: "Forty dollars a paycheck to me is a tank of gas that will take me to and from work. Without this extra 40.00 for gas, I will have to cut back on groceries to make up the difference."

J. B., Utah: "$40 a paycheck is a school lunch for my kids. Being middle class, I don' qualify for free lunches, therefore, have to pay full price lunch for 2 elementary school kids. A hot meal is a whole better than a cold sack lunch."

Allen K., Eagle Mountain: "I now live on disability and a small retirement and I am living check to check. I received lung damage as a volunteer firefighter for over 35 years in many areas of the country and it requires me to use supplemental oxygen most all of the time. The use of this oxygen and a Bi-pap my heart has returned to normal size. I have to pay rent on an oxygen unit to fill my oxygen bottles and this increase in taxes will make it harder to pay the monthly rent of the unit as it costs me 85 dollars per month just in copay. For many seniors it will be a decision between medication and food."

Beckie, St. George: "$40 a week to me means feeding my children healthy food instead of cheap fattening processed food. I'm a single mother doing my best. I need your support to raise healthy, ready-to-learn children."

Jeff B., Sandy: "Gas, milk, bread, new shoes for the kids."

Heidi H., Salt Lake City: "Quite a few groceries can be bought with $40 in my life, possibly all of them. Or, my cell phone bill could be paid. Or a night out to dinner and a movie with my husband. Forty dollars DOES matter in the life of an average citizen."

-- Thomas Burr
Twitter.com/thomaswburr