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Gift cards, love 'em or hate 'em?


josetann

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I'll group cash/checks/gift cards all in one lump here. Do you like getting them for presents or hate them? How many hate them, but yet turn around and give them as presents yourself?

 

Personally, I don't like them. I'd rather get a semi-crappy gift, at least I know some thought went into it. And yes, I have given them on rare occassions, but not often.

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Guest Deals4Me
I got one from Staples once and was trying to figure out what to get...still am. Its been 5 or 6 months now...ugh maybe BF will be a goody for it.
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I don't mind getting a gift card, and sometimes I feel like a gift card is the only option I have when trying to think of what to get some members of my family.

I think I'm probably one of those kinds of people, the person you don't know what to get so you just get a gift card or give them some cash. Most of what I'd want is probably too obscure, or too expensive. Still, I'd rather have some silly thing that had some thought put in it, than some cash thrown at me (that's just me).

 

I remember one year, my brother kept asking me what I wanted. Told him it didn't matter, a nice shiny nickel would be fine. Well he got a nickel, cleaned it up good, and found a case that would fit it (it was just a plastic case with some foam backing, nothing major, but just the right size). Cheapest gift ever, but I still have it and think more of it than any gift card I've gotten.

 

I'm just weird.

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I love them! It's even better when everyone knows to get me cards from the same place, so I can use more there. I prefer cash and GCs over presents, because I usually buy what I need, anyway.

I am the same way! I BEG for gift cards every year for my presents! I use them for after Christmas sales and especially prefer ones to Joann Fabrics or Walmart! That way I can get more for my $$ ! ;)

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CG are good options for family members and friends that live far away and for those who ask for stuff that you would have to haul home from home depot.

 

My uncle wanted Cork Board one year (he was redoing his workshop) so I bought cork board, had to have it at my parents house for christmas that year, then he had to haul it 4 hours home.... I say that home depot card would have worked Great at that time.

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I love gift cards and cash. This way I get what I want,,,usually they will ask me what stores I shop at.

I get a $100. LL Bean, $50. BBW, and $50. Gap, $50. Wal-Mart gift cards each year for Christmas.

 

I give out gift cards to our parents who all love to eat out at Olive Garden, plus I give them each a individual present to go along with it. But they look forward to the gift card for Christmas now. lol

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I like them, as long as they are for a store I shop at. I'd rather get something I can use than something I can't. Plus I love to go shopping but I rarely have money to spend on myself, so a gift card gives me a shopping trip for ME. :)

^ Pretty much what she said. I rarely give them, but I have no problem receiving them (as long as it's for a store where I'll actually be able to use it). Better to receive money/check/gc than something you either won't like or won't have a use for, etc.

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I love to get cash/gift cards because I'm a very hard person to buy for. However, I hate to give them, because I always feel they are so impersonal. Plus, I always feel weird letting someone know how much I spent on them be it $5 or $500 (not really that much but you know what I mean).:elmo:
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I love gift cards. Usually the ones I get are for stores that I specifically stated that I would like a gift card to. I only give gift cards to someone when I can't think of something for them and am sure that they shop often at that particular store. It is always nice to give a gift card if you know that someone has a particular item that they are wanting that is expensive and several people give them cards to purchase the item that they want. We did that with my Grandpa one year. Several grandkids, kids, etc. all gave him gift cards to Sears so that he could get a particular table saw that he was wanting (we didn't know which one) Also, when I had my babyshower I got several gift certificates to Wal-Mart and a gift certificate to Babies R Us. They were life-savers. After I got home and figured out what I had received and what I didn't, I was able to go purchase and remaining items that I still needed. Since then, I often give gift cards for baby gifts. I never realized how helpful they could be.
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hmmm...last year for Christmas we told everyone that we didn't want anything, but if they felt like getting us something to get us a giftcard for Target or Babies R Us...of course, we told them this and then I realized we hadn't told them I was pregnant yet so it was slightly embarrassing! But my family (and DH's family as well) actually LOVED finding out this way! My dad actually asked what I'd need a gift certificate to Babies R Us for...then my step mom hit him over the head...LOL

 

I hardly ever give gift cards though (I don't think I've EVER given one actually...)

 

kriss

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Totally perfer cash/gift cards because then i can get something i want instead of some crappy gift . Some of my family won't buy me what i ask for even when i give a list. One of my grandmother's says she has to like the gift she is giving me so i get jewelary i never wear or something i'll never use.
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Love'em!!

 

I cringe knowing what family spends on gifts when I know I could have gotten it myself for a fraction of the price. Plus, I put my own shopping skills to use and mostly get myself whatever it is I happen to want (for the best possible price of course).

 

So I always have a hard time thinking of things for others to get me.

 

Gotta love the gift card (or even better, cash)! :gd_orange

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I love to receive gift cards. They are always on my list. Of course when I do get them, I spend half of what they are worth on my kids, but I still get to shop so I'm happy (my kids are 3 years old and 4 months old, I'm sure I'll get over this habit when they get older and start asking for things!).

 

I don't like to give them though, because I like to get deals on what I give so I can spend less and get a nicer gift. My SIL doesn't need to know I only spent about $4 on the Seasons 1 and 2 of Gilmore Girls (price matched Target at Circuit City and used 3 GCs that I'd gotten free as promotions).

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I like GCs. Most of my friends have no idea what to get me most of time for Christmas and Birthdays, so this makes it easier on them. I even told my DH that it was okay to give me GCs for Christmas this year. I am difficult to shop for and he always has problems coming up with good gift ideas for me. I don't give GCs very often (except sometimes to my DH). I shop often and normally run across the most perfect gifts for my friends, but if I'm having a bad year finding special gifts, I don't see anything wrong with giving GCs.
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