Gift Cards

zazu13

We trade names with my husband's large family to exchange Christmas gifts. We have a modest spending limit and usually give each other suggestions for things we like (clothes, movies, board games, etc.) I have drawn my brother in law several times in the past few years and he always instructs people to give him gift cards. This feels tacky to me. Since we have a spending limit, I feel like I have to spend the limit in a gift card since you can see how much was spent. Whereas if I were shopping in a store I could find something valued at the limit, but get a good deal on it and spend less, or find something valued more, but spend the limit on it because it was on sale. I do like giving and receiving gifts cards, but I would never tell someone that is what I "wanted" for Christmas. Is it just me? Plus, I like finding the right gift for people and this takes the fun out of it.

So, what do you think of Gift cards

Jodash24

My brother is a teen, I'm getting him a gift card only because I haven't got a clue what to get for him. I personally would rather get a gift, I'm awesome at bargain finds, this week I got a £50 gift set for £19 I tend to do that.

If he wants a gift card get him one and Just hope next year you pull someone else's name and it will be more fun

zazu13

Yes. I will give him a gift card for the spending $ limit (like the other years DH or I have drawn him) but it still bugs me. He doesnt even suggest a store - just a mall or visa card. How is that different than asking for cash? And if several ppl gift each other gift cards at some point it just feels like trading money rather than gifts.

Jessimax

AprilMay9 said:

I think gift cards are great for coworkers or staff at work, or people like dc providers. However I don't really like giving them to family or friends. I have only asked for gcs once when I was saving for a camera. I won't complain if I receive them but I have a bad habit of losing them.

This.

olenkapdx

My family kind of sucks at picking out good gifts for each other, so we all pretty much give each other gift cards now. I wish I could give my two year old nephew a gift card. Shopping for little boys' gifts gives me major anxiety for some reason.

cnbean

I like both and don't feel like its tacky. Since my family all lives far away there have been times that it was easier/cheaper to give gift cards than to pay to ship boxes of gifts. While my sister's were in college it was nice for them because they didn't take up room in suitcases. I like to get them for a few places, like fabric or craft stores, so I have them the next time a big project comes up. I wouldn't want all gift cards though because that's boring. 

But I would not give a Visa gift card. I think those a the biggest scam, plus they are a pain to use. If I get someone a gift card it is to a specific store that they really like.

janice9821

Gift cards are great for a lot of things but the situation you describe is not one of them. We have secret Santa too and I've gotten my mom's husband 2 years in a row and he asks for a gift card to a specific place and doesn't give any other suggestions. I may as well just hand him a $50 bill. Bah, humbug.

zazu13

celticlullaby said:

To me there's a difference between gift cards that are basically cash - like Visa cards, amazon, target, etc - and ones that are more of a gift, like for a restaurant, a massage, a movie, or a specialty store. I like giving/receiving the second kind more than the first. There's more thought behind giving a particular experience that way.

Agreed. If someone is into a hobby, for example, or items they like tend to be hard to pick out or over the typical spending limit, then it makes sense. I feel like my BIL basically says I wont like anything anyone picks out for me so dont waste your time and just give me money.

chichi589

I'd much rather give a gift card to someone to know my money isn't going to waste. With that being said I don't give them if I can think of something that I know they want. For example I love giving a gift card for enough for 2 people to go to the movies and a gift card towards a restaurant for like a date night. It really is dependent on the person IMO.

SoulTermination

SS: I feel weird about giving someone a list with crap I want on it, even if they specifically told me they want me to make a list. Half the time I can't think of anything I'd like in any case. Gift cards, while impersonal, I know I'll be able to figure out something to use them on. Surprise gifts can be awesome, or seriously WTF-inducing.

As far as giving gift cards... well, my DH insists on doing Christmas shopping the last week before the holiday so we have as much saved up to get us through as possible, and consequently when we go out shopping he's likely to just pick random shit he sees. One year we got our BIL and DH's sister a home beer kit. Not sure if it ever got used, but we knew it was something BIL would appreciate. Another year it was some cupcake machine or something, and I'm pretty sure neither of them bake. O.o With a gift card in that instance, at least they could've gotten something that wouldn't be put in next year's rummage. =/

*sparky*

I am with celticlullaby on this one. A GC to a place you know the person likes or a Sephora gift card has some thoughtfulness to it and I would rather give someone a Sephora GC than try to pick out make up for them.

My ILs are completely anti gift card and instead give us stuff that we don't ask for and can't use. I am not kidding when I say last year every one of their gifts was donated or is sitting in a closet somewhere because DH would not let me give it away. I know that sounds ungrateful but it is like this every year and it just seems so wasteful. I would much rather get a Loft GC from MIL than for her to try to pick out a sweater I would like. Actually this year I suggested that IL's just skip gifts for us and only buy for the kids but that's totally OT.

But I think once you are at the point of giving a Visa GC you may as well just give cash and that is pretty impersonal for a holiday gift for a family member.