WWYD - (Christmas gift and budget related)

[goofyredraider]

DS has asked for two specific games on his wishlist (one DS game and one Wii game). I bought them, and we can afford them. Total was about $80

Yesterday, while at Target, I found TONS of discounted DS and Wii games so cheap that I snapped them up to put in Easter baskets,for prizes, etc.... They were between 3.74-4.48 and 5.98-7.48. Now, he has not specificially wished for these games, but I started thinking. I could give him a DS game and a Wii game from this stash for around $12 at the most and return the pricey games. That's a $68 difference!

So, I'm curious, what would you do?

eta: He's getting plenty of other gifts, so these are the only thing on his list.

 

[angierae]

DS has asked for two specific games on his wishlist (one DS game and one Wii game). I bought them, and we can afford them. Total was about $80

Yesterday, while at Target, I found TONS of discounted DS and Wii games so cheap that I snapped them up to put in Easter baskets,for prizes, etc.... They were between 3.74-4.48 and 5.98-7.48. Now, he has not specificially wished for these games, but I started thinking. I could give him a DS game and a Wii game from this stash for around $12 at the most and return the pricey games. That's a $68 difference!

So, I'm curious, what would you do?

eta: He's getting plenty of other gifts, so these are the only thing on his list.

Games that are discounted that cheap are usually discounted because they aren't very good, and aren't selling. If he asked for the two games specifically, it's because those are the games he wants. I would at least give him one of them. (Personally, I'd give them both to him - you said you could afford him, and he asked for them specifically. Getting two clearanced games that he might not even like (or might not be any good) is not at all like getting the two games you really wanted.

 

[Marionnette]

DS has asked for two specific games on his wishlist (one DS game and one Wii game). I bought them, and we can afford them. Total was about $80

Yesterday, while at Target, I found TONS of discounted DS and Wii games so cheap that I snapped them up to put in Easter baskets,for prizes, etc.... They were between 3.74-4.48 and 5.98-7.48. Now, he has not specificially wished for these games, but I started thinking. I could give him a DS game and a Wii game from this stash for around $12 at the most and return the pricey games. That's a $68 difference!

So, I'm curious, what would you do?

eta: He's getting plenty of other gifts, so these are the only thing on his list.

I would give him the games that he asked for. Chances are that you will get more play for your dollar out of the ones that he asked for than the other games. There's a reason that they were marked down so much...they aren't in high demand. Which probably means that they aren't very good.

 

[Disney Addicted]

I agree with the previous PP. The heavily discounted games just are not good games - most of the time. At least give him 1 of his wish games.

What about purchasing his 2 wish games used/second-hand? Would receiving them second-hand bother him? As long as the games work, and the original cases & instructions are still with them, I find my kids couldn't care less when I purchase them used instead of new.

 

[goofyredraider]

I agree with the previous PP. The heavily discounted games just are not good games - most of the time. At least give him 1 of his wish games.

What about purchasing his 2 wish games used/second-hand? Would receiving them second-hand bother him? As long as the games work, and the original cases & instructions are still with them, I find my kids couldn't care less when I purchase them used instead of new.

They are new release games (Kirby), so I don't think I can find them used.

Several of the games on clearance were games my kids already have, and they love them. I know some games are just junk, but the games I bought seem to have good reviews on Amazon. Besides that for $3-4, between 3 kids, I will get my $$s worth from them.

 

[SaraJayne]

I'd give him the ones he specifically asked for.

 

[Tinkerkell007]

Ditto the other posters, give him the ones he asked for. I'd much rather get 1 thing I asked for, then a ton of stuff I don't want. If money were an issue then that's another story.

 

[QVCshopper]

I would him the games he wants, but look for a better deal. TRU has been having some good sales like bogo half off. My DS5 wanted a Nintendo 3DS. I could have gone with another model, but he really wants it, so I found a good deal and got it for him. At this age, they know what they want.

 

[Disney Addicted]

They are new release games (Kirby), so I don't think I can find them used.

Ahh, Kirby yes - my kids are asking for the new Kirby as well. I had not planned on getting it because...

About 2 months ago I purchased the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean WII game cheap ($20 new) when Blockbusters went out of business. I asked my husband to put it away. Then 3 days ago my DS7 asks to play the WII. I hear crinkling noises, jump up and sure enough - he's unwrapping the new game!!! My husband PUT IT WITH THE OTHER WII GAMES instead of hiding it! GRRRRR

I have not decided if I am going to purchase another WII game.

 

[ilovemk76]

This is a gift so give him the two games he asked for. Being cheap is not the best way to give a gift. Those two cheap gamesmwill probably never get played.

DS has asked for two specific games on his wishlist (one DS game and one Wii game). I bought them, and we can afford them. Total was about $80

Yesterday, while at Target, I found TONS of discounted DS and Wii games so cheap that I snapped them up to put in Easter baskets,for prizes, etc.... They were between 3.74-4.48 and 5.98-7.48. Now, he has not specificially wished for these games, but I started thinking. I could give him a DS game and a Wii game from this stash for around $12 at the most and return the pricey games. That's a $68 difference!

So, I'm curious, what would you do?

eta: He's getting plenty of other gifts, so these are the only thing on his list.

 

[momto2inKC]

As the mother and wife to gamers...give him the games he asked for There's nothing worse than asking for a specific game then getting one you didn't want. I have bought clearance games, they hardly ever get played, if at all. Good games usually don't end up on clearance.

 

[goofyredraider]

As the mother and wife to gamers...give him the games he asked for There's nothing worse than asking for a specific game then getting one you didn't want. I have bought clearance games, they hardly ever get played, if at all. Good games usually don't end up on clearance.

My kids must be weird then...they love their clearanced games just as much as the ones I paid $30 each for Heck some of the $30 ones I bought get less play.

I'm going to keep the Kirby games. Thanks for everyone's replies!

 

[tlbwriter]

Ditto the other posters, give him the ones he asked for. I'd much rather get 1 thing I asked for, then a ton of stuff I don't want.

This.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

Save the extra ds games for long road trips.

 

[momto2inKC]

My kids must be weird then...they love their clearanced games just as much as the ones I paid $30 each for Heck some of the $30 ones I bought get less play.

I'm going to keep the Kirby games. Thanks for everyone's replies!

I don't think your kids are weird, not sure how you got that from my reply Your kids are younger than mine and that makes a big difference with the types of games they play. If my teenager asked for Modern Warfare and he got Kirby he would be quite upset

 

[goofyredraider]

Save the extra ds games for long road trips.

YES! This is the primary reason I bought them. Our Disney trip is 15-16 hours each way, so they will be perfect for that!

 

[goofyredraider]

I don't think your kids are weird, not sure how you got that from my reply Yourkiddos are younger than mine and that makes a big difference with the types of games they play. If my teenager asked for Modern Warfare and he got Kirby he would be quite upset

Oh I wasn't offended or being defensive at all! Please don't take it that way.

I just got back from another Target and found the Kirby game that I bought him last year on clearance (I, um, vacuumed that one up when I was vacuuming my car earlier this year). It was 4.98 and I bougth it full price last year! Anyway, I bought it for him again because he loved it so much. I may just put it with the other Kirby games as a nice surprise Christmas morning.

 

[momto2inKC]

Oh I wasn't offended or being defensive at all! Please don't take it that way.

I just got back from another Target and found the Kirby game that I bought him last year on clearance (I, um, vacuumed that one up when I was vacuuming my car earlier this year). It was 4.98 and I bougth it full price last year! Anyway, I bought it for him again because he loved it so much. I may just put it with the other Kirby games as a nice surprise Christmas morning.

Oh good
And i'm literally LOL'ing at the vacuuming up of the games, been there done that Those little boogers blend in so well, especially in the car where my carpeting is that same color lol

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

YES! This is the primary reason I bought them. Our Disney trip is 15-16 hours each way, so they will be perfect for that!

Our trip this summer to WDW is about 44 hours!

 

[Jey12]

If my teenager asked for Modern Warfare and he got Kirby he would be quite upset

I would do this on purpose just to see the look on his face! One year my brother and sister, who are much younger than I am, had asked for a playstation 2. My husband still had the box to his playstation so we filled that with socks and underwear and wrapped it up. We made sure to be at their house early Christmas morning so we could see them open their big present, they were super excited because the box was heavy (wool socks are ) and the exact shape of a playstation 2 box! We turn on the video recorder and the look on their faces as they see the playstation box are so excited, and then a few seconds later as they open that box and find sock and underwear it's just priceless! Of course the real gift was hidden and brought out right after this, a brand new, ready to play playstation 2. We'd never do that to them if we didn't actually have the real thing, but the temptation to torment them for a few minutes could not be resisted.

For the OP, I'd give the kid the games he wants. Keep the bargain ones for birthdays, little holidays, gifts for friends, etc...You'll end up saving by using these bargain games as gifts for the kids of friends and family.