Using my child's gift cards

Mar5195 · February 2013

I'm a terrible mother. I just used my Kid's bday giftcard at Walmart to buy groceries. I felt so guilty I bought him a big toy but that only covered half the value of the card!

He has so much clothing (we get really nice hand me downs from a co-worker). And he got so many toys he can't even play with them all.

Am I the only one who has done this? He has a Children's Place, TRU and BBB Gift card that I'm just going to save for the summer or maybe Christmas.

SY Smiles · February 2013

I did the same exact thing. Nolan got one for his birthday from my SIL who lives out of state and I used it for groceries for his party. She keeps calling and asking if he's picked out a toy from Walmart yet. He has so many freaking toys! The kid doesn't need anymore! I feel kind of guilty though. I actually had her give me the empty card back thinking maybe one day I'd put the money back on it for him.

Jeanine88 · February 2013

Not at all! Don't feel guilty. I figure it all goes through the same bank account so it doesn't matter!

Mar5195 · February 2013

You ladies always make me feel better. I confessed to my Work Husband and he said "He eats doesn't he??". So true. Our fridge died and we had to throw everything out. Fortunately it was just a fuse but the cost of replacing the food isn't fun for my pocketbook.

jmccall79 · February 2013

I've used several gcs over the year to buy groceries, diapers, and formula! My thought is he doesn't "need" stuff, but does need to eat and have a dry butt! Don't feel guilty in the least!

jldubb0626 · February 2013

Don't feel guilty at all! I agree with your DH - he needs to eat so you bought him food. AND he did get a toy out of it. I *might* side eye you if you had bought something for yourself, but food is completely different!

pinkshades05 · February 2013

We used Nat's Target gc to buy some supplies for our guest bathroom. This is back when she was 6 weeks old. I'm still kind of mad at DH for using them, but he was right that either way it would be coming out of our pockets somehow (by buying clothes/diapers for her).

grenada1 · February 2013

You are not the only one!

I felt so guilty the first time, but DH make me realized that i wasnt doing anything wrong. And DS doesnt need any clothes or toys right now. And we received so many for Christmas and his birtday. I have enough for summer clothes and whatever he may need.

NatesLady1309 · February 2013

Addy got a gc yesterday and I was thinking about this very thing. It's for Target and DH and I were telling her jokingly that there wasn't a very good chance that the full value would be going toward things for her. I do feel kind of guilty but I would feel more guilty if I spent the full value on her on things she doesn't need and that take up even more space in our home (which DH particularly hates).

MrMrsandBaby · February 2013

I didn't reply right away because I had to think about this. I think I would use the GC on stuff for her (diapers, etc). Allison got a B&N card for her birthday and I plan on using it for books for her so I think I would do the same with Target/Wal-Mart or whatever.

What about cash? If you get cash for her birthday what do you do with it? DH and I deposit it and immediatley transfer it to her 529. Not saying either way is right or wrong, it is just what I (think I) would do.

Full disclosure, the B&N card is the first GC we have gotten for Allison so this is all hypothetical.

grenada1 · March 2013

Cash we deposit into his account, but that just what we do. I would not disagree if someone didn't, sometime as a parent you have to do what works for you.

Using my child's gift cards

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