Gift Cards

[disneylovin24]

Another thread inspired by the Today show (I love being able to watch it when I'm home!)


This one might get messy but I want to share my opinion. Kathie Lee and Hoda said that giving gift cards is just lazy.

I DISAGREE 100%!!!! I love getting gift cards and I think they are thoughtful and a great gift to allow people to get what they want. I got amazon gift cards this Christmas and love them because I can buy what I want. I think they are better then giving someone a gift they might not use or want!

Just my two cents!

 

[clh2]

My DD loves getting gift cards. (Or cash for that matter.) It is like getting a gift 2-times. Once when you open it, and once when you spend it!

I will not give one of my nieces cash - as her dad puts it in the bank, and that is not my intent when I gave that gift. So - she will always get a gift card.

 

[disneylovin24]

My DD loves getting gift cards. (Or cash for that matter.) It is like getting a gift 2-times. Once when you open it, and once when you spend it!

I will not give one of my nieces cash - as her dad puts it in the bank, and that is not my intent when I gave that gift. So - she will always get a gift card.

Question: what if your niece herself opted to put it in the back? Because I sometimes but money I receive in the bank because I have no need for it right away. I also will sometimes not spend gift cards right away because I do not spend them just because I have them. Have never thought before if something is a gift I should spend it ASAP, IMO once you give the money it is up to me what I do with it.

 

[Angelhalo]

DH and I aren't good gift card recipients. We're both cheap!! So the cards sit in a pile for ages before they ever get used. My DH still has cards from last Christmas. The problem is two-fold.

1. I have a hard time seeing the card go away. Once it is spent, it is gone and that makes me sad, so I just hang on to it.
2. I have a hard time buying anything big for myself, even if it is with "free" money from someone else. So I end up buying a bunch of small non fun items like groceries and stuff because I can't justify buying something big and nice for myself when I could buy more practical items with it.

So I'd rather just get an actual item as a gift that I wouldn't buy for myself. If I get the item from the giver then it is mine and I don't feel bad about it. But, if it is left up to me to purchase something nice for myself, it just isn't going to happen. I'm not coded to buy nice things for myself. I am coded to be cheap, thrifty, and logical.

I don't ever think someone is lazy if they give me a gift card, but, it is kind of a bummer.

This is why we make lists every year. We share them with Aunts, Uncles, In-Laws, parents etc and they share their lists with us. This way you have lots of items to choose from and you know that they are desired items so they are going to be loved and used.

That being said, I am always grateful for ANY gift that someone gives me, no matter what it is.

 

[MIGrandma]

Another thread inspired by the Today show (I love being able to watch it when I'm home!)


This one might get messy but I want to share my opinion. Kathie Lee and Hoda said that giving gift cards is just lazy.

I DISAGREE 100%!!!! I love getting gift cards and I think they are thoughtful and a great gift to allow people to get what they want. I got amazon gift cards this Christmas and love them because I can buy what I want. I think they are better then giving someone a gift they might not use or want!

Just my two cents!

I agree with you!

And I don't put much stock into anything Kathie Lee and Hoda say!
If the channel on the TV is left on and their part of the show comes on, I turn it off or to another channel. Just can't stand watching them.

But anyway, I think gift cards are great! Both in giving them and in receiving them. I would much prefer to give a gift card to someone, for a store or restaurant, etc. that I know they like, instead of buying them a gift they may not like and either regift it, donate it to Goodwill, or just put it in a closet somewhere.

 

[wiigirl]

My DD loves getting gift cards. (Or cash for that matter.) It is like getting a gift 2-times. Once when you open it, and once when you spend it!

I will not give one of my nieces cash - as her dad puts it in the bank, and that is not my intent when I gave that gift. So - she will always get a gift card.

 

[Anastasi]

Another thread inspired by the Today show (I love being able to watch it when I'm home!)


This one might get messy but I want to share my opinion. Kathie Lee and Hoda said that giving gift cards is just lazy.

I DISAGREE 100%!!!! I love getting gift cards and I think they are thoughtful and a great gift to allow people to get what they want. I got amazon gift cards this Christmas and love them because I can buy what I want. I think they are better then giving someone a gift they might not use or want!

Just my two cents!

I also disagree. Some people think no thought goes into gift cards. I don't think that is always the case. Sometimes yes, but sometimes there is a lot of thought of what goes into the gift card.

For instance, my 17 year old niece is a clothes horse. Her favorite store is Forever 21. As a teen, she also loves to shop and hang at the mall. My brother (her dad and a single dad) is currently out of work, so she doesn't get to shop as much as she would like.

I have a few issues with Forever 21, do not care much for the store,so wouldn't shop there anyway.

And, I know my niece does not want clothes picked out by a matronly old aunt. So, a large gift card was the answer. She got an "experience" of being able to shop with her friends, try on clothes and then she could actually pay for the clothes she wanted.

The squeals of delight were enough to tell me that the gift card had quite a bit of thought behind it.

My son's girlfriend of 4 years, he didn't even know what she wanted. He got her half carat diamond earrings, but he was frustrated as well for other gifts. So, yes, the gift card may have been a bit lazy, but she could get what she wanted.

 

[laughinplace199]

I'm with you, OP. I like gift cards. So does my DD14.

DD often goes to the mall with her friends, so gift cards give her $$ to shop with, and she can pick out what she likes.

 

[scdak]

I think a gift card is great! I was given a cast iron 3 qt dutch oven yesterday as a gift............I DON'T cook! I was given a gift card for the cruise line I travel with at least once a year...........AWESOME gift!

I am not ungrateful for the pot, it was a gift given from the heart, but I don't cook, I don't have a place to store the heavy thing and it will never be used so it is basically useless to me.

I will say that gift cards should be given with some thought, a gift card should be given to a place someone shops, or likes to dine thus making it special for the recipient. I love getting them, I save them for shopping or dining when I don't have alot of spare cash but I want to treat myself to something, sometimes they are used right away, sometimes not for months but then I remember who gave them to me and I am thankful again for the gift.

 

[wenrob]

My teen would disagree with Hoda and Kathy Lee. This year she received three gift cards for iTunes, 6mo subscription gift card for Netflix, 1 year subscription commercial free Pandora gift card, Williams Sonoma gift card and a couple Walmart gift cards that she traded mom for cash. She's a pretty happy camper.

My two youngest have a birthday Nov. 30th and they also received gift cards for birthday/Christmas. I have them save them until after Christmas so the don't buy themselves something already stashed in my closet. Santa put new wallets in their stockings and they're pretty stoked to go spend them.

As to cash going into the bank, I see no problem with that. When oldest DD was very little (and there were more relatives with us here on earth) I put all checks and cash in a savings account for her. She already was receiving a ridiculous amount of toys and clothes, it seemed silly to go buy more. When she got a little older I would put half in her account and let her spend half. As a 17yr old now saving for her first car she's appreciated that head start.

 

[disneylovin24]

I agree with you!

And I don't put much stock into anything Kathie Lee and Hoda say!
If the channel on the TV is left on and their part of the show comes on, I turn it off or to another channel. Just can't stand watching them.

But anyway, I think gift cards are great! Both in giving them and in receiving them. I would much prefer to give a gift card to someone, for a store or restaurant, etc. that I know they like, instead of buying them a gift they may not like and either regift it, donate it to Goodwill, or just put it in a closet somewhere.

I love them and usually agree with what they say/ think they say some logical things on topics like this.

 

[disneylovin24]

I think a gift card is great! I was given a cast iron 3 qt dutch oven yesterday as a gift............I DON'T cook! I was given a gift card for the cruise line I travel with at least once a year...........AWESOME gift!

I am not ungrateful for the pot, it was a gift given from the heart, but I don't cook, I don't have a place to store the heavy thing and it will never be used so it is basically useless to me.

I will say that gift cards should be given with some thought, a gift card should be given to a place someone shops, or likes to dine thus making it special for the recipient. I love getting them, I save them for shopping or dining when I don't have alot of spare cash but I want to treat myself to something, sometimes they are used right away, sometimes not for months but then I remember who gave them to me and I am thankful again for the gift.

Think this was pretty much conclusion reached on the show. Gift cards for someone's favorite restaurant can be very thoughtful!

I get a lot of gift cards for amazon and iTunes which I love for Kindle books and music since sometimes it is hard to justifying buying 1 dollar songs and 10 dollar books on a credit card.

 

[princess_reject]

I love getting gift cards except that they tend to make my husband and I fight!
I think that if I get a gift card for Target, for example, it is for me to spend as I wish on a gift for myself. For some reason, he thinks that a gift card should be used for stuff we need. Like I should just use it towards our groceries or something!

If I get cash for a gift, I see it the same way...in fact my mom always tells me if she gives me cash that she doesn't want me spending it on every day staples, but that I should use it for something I want, but normally wouldn't buy for myself. Isn't that the point of a gift anyhow?

 

[Luv Bunnies]

There are gift cards for things that you can't really buy any other way. One of the gifts everyone got from my parents was a box of 4 gift cards, tailored to the recipient. One of mine was Starbuck's. My mom couldn't very well buy 10 lattes and put them in a box. She gave DH and I both AMC movie cards. I guess we could ask her for money whenever we want to see a movie, but the card makes a lot more sense. DH also got a Shell gas card. Not too safe to buy 20 gallons of gas and wrap it up! The kids got iTunes. A gift card is the best way to put money in their accounts so they can buy music and apps whenever they want. I gave my dad a card so he could buy books for his Kindle. He only reads on his Kindle now and that seemed like the best way to give him $50 worth of books that he wants to read.

I don't think gift cards are lazy. Just practical!

 

[Arsenal1982]

Gift cards are the way to go, especially if you're intent is for the person to receive clothes. I can't tell you how many times I've received awful awful clothing that wasn't my taste. If the person had opted for a $15 to $20 gift card to that store instead, I could have actually gotten something I would have used.

And obviously no thought went into picking the particular clothing item that they got me in the past. If there had been thought, they would have realized that it wasn't my style.

 

[design_mom]

My mother *used* to feel the same way as Kathie Lee and Hoda. She felt that giving gift cards was one step away from handing someone cash and saying "I didn't bother to think of something you'd like." However, now that she's retired and really has most of the "stuff" she wants and needs, she likes to receive gift cards to restaurants, etc. and has changed her mind, as long as it's for someplace you know the person will enjoy, she's fine with giving/getting gift cards.

Like Angelhalo mentioned, I'm not a good gift card recipient either. I am, uh, frugal... and don't often buy myself stuff, even if I've got a gift card -- or I'll forget that I have one, so I don't spend them. I am also not fond of shopping, so I don't necessarily like the "experience" of picking it out myself. (The fact that someone else did the shopping is part of the gift, IMHO.)

My husband and kids *love* gift cards though, and certainly don't consider them a "lazy" gift.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I love gift cards! I got movie theater one for Christmas with a note that it was to be used for tickets for a movie I'm excited about (new Hobbit) and one for iTunes (I'm pretty sure someone overheard my mention being a few dollars shot in the account for a whole CD download so its perfect).

 

[nicolita3]

The ones I don't really like are the restaurant gift cards that are $25. We don't go out to eat very much but when DH and I go out to eat we usually spend about $30 not including tip, so we still have to spend out of pocket, so those gift cards sometimes get tossed aside and sometimes forgotten.

 

[si-am]

I wouldn't want a gift card as my ONLY gift from a close family member, but my husband got me a Gap gift card (among other things) and I was thrilled with it. I got a TON of stuff on clearance with it today and I was able to try on and pick out exactly what I wanted. I got a dress, a pair of jeans, and 4 shirts for $50!! There's no way he would have been able to pick out all that stuff by himself!

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm sure Hoda and Kathie Lee can afford to indulge any little whim they have so the allure of a gift card would be greatly reduced for them.