Speaking of gifts, what are your thoughts on gift cards?

[icekid]

I''m really not a fan in general for or from anyone with whom I am close. They ARE usually pretty impersonal, IMO. But then, I am a champion gift buyer, the one who always buys the PERFECT gift. That''s the part of gift-giving that I love; putting a lot of thought into it and getting something that makes the recipient feel special! my hubby has finally realized that I DO NOT WANT GIFTCARDS from him. Especially after he continually bought them from places where I do not shop, which left me in the position of buying crap I did not want or need. However, that said, there have been instances where I received cool gift cards that make memories that I do enjoy! But for clothes? ehhhh.

I do understand buying them/ receiving them from people who don''t know what else to get, in other words, my in-laws. I never can come up with anything to ask for from them, and they seem to be unable to think of anything on their own

But I have to admit, it does seem like "trading cash" to me. I give you a giftcard, you give me one. We both spend our own money. It just doesn''t feel like a gift to me.

 

[Deelight]

I LOVE THEM


Seriously every year I tell FI if anyone asks you what I want please tell them gift cards to the following stores, so far hasn''t happened oh well.

Though I did just get a $60 GC from FI that he got from work for not getting hurt , I plan to get myself some awesome new reads

 

[butterfly 17]

I like getting gift cards. When I had my baby shower, I was hoping I would get a lot for babies r us so that I could get what I really needed, like diapers and diapers and diapers. I don''t think they are impersonable at all as you can get whatever you want.

 

[Lynnie]

I don''t mind them. Well, most of them. I do think the Visa/AMEX ones are kinda silly... may as well give cash. Plus, don''t they charge you for buying them? And if you don''t use them within a year or two they start charging 2 or 3 bucks a month, right? One time I had a $100 AMEX, and rather than buy something for more than $100 and pay the difference, I bought a bunch of small stuff. I ended up with $1.17 left... I think it''s still in my wallet. I feel like I''m giving AMEX $$.

I look forward to my yearly Bath & Body Works gift card from my mom at Christmas. And I always get her minutes for her phone (she always asks for them!)

 

[EricaR]

You can always look into buying a gift card for an entire mall, for example. That way you know the card is good at any store. Here, I can get a single gift card that is good at three shopping centers with stores ranging from Target to Neiman Marcus. It is GREAT!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

They are most useful.

cheers--Sharon

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 11/12/2008 10:10:00 AM
Author: EricaR
You can always look into buying a gift card for an entire mall, for example. That way you know the card is good at any store. Here, I can get a single gift card that is good at three shopping centers with stores ranging from Target to Neiman Marcus. It is GREAT!

An entire mall GC is a great idea! You never know what the person may need OR possibly they need to buy clothes for their kids. Gives them more options. I think this is the only good GC.

I hate resturant ones because we always get them for places we don't eat at.

 

[FrekeChild]

My mom almost always gets gift cards, but after reading a few too many reports that it''s a really bad idea in the current economic climate, she''s decided that everyone is just going to get the same amount of cash that they would have gotten in gift cards.

And I''m thinking nothing is safe at the moment. Even Starbucks is closing some stores, and they''ve decreased their prices.