I've read a lot of debate articles over the past few weeks regarding the appropriateness of giving gift cards during the holidays. I have VERY strong opinions on this.
I LOVE gift cards. Really. I do. We've actually included some specific ones on our Christmas lists this year, particularly gift cards to restuarants where we like to eat. You see, we do love to eat out, but have a hard time justifying the cost most of the time. Like at the end of the budget week when there's only $7 left in the food envelope. A month or so ago Greg received a gift card to Amerigo as a "thank you" from someone he helped out with a computer problem. We had two very nice date nights off that card and were hugely appreciative of the person who gave it to him. It was the gift of a date night!
Today we got a couple of the generic Visa/AmEx gift cards that we plan to use to buy one big Mart gift card to use for gas (we normally do this every month for our gas budget anyway). This way we don't have to keep up with the balances, we know EXACTLY where the money is going, and can reduce the gas budget for January and send that extra amount to our mortgage company.
The point many people make here is, "But the giver wanted you to spend that on something special for yourself!" My answer to that is this - we did. We're buying ourselves a house. That's a heck of a gift, and I'm very grateful for the thoughtfulness.
Having said that, when I put the new cards in my purse I found two gift cards that we received as wedding gifts last year. I knew I'd used them both, but wasn't sure if I'd emptied them, so I called to check the balances. One was a Bed, Bath, & Bankruptcy card with about $8 left on it. The other is a Vicky's Secret card with (gulp) $30 left on it. I know why that one wasn't used again. I never found anything I wanted in the store and ordering online with the gift card was terrible (they charged my debit card until the gift card cleared, then reversed the first charge). But I'm not about to leave nearly $40 on the table, so I'll find a use for them. After Christmas. There's no way I'm going to the mall this week!
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16 comments:
I LOVE gift cards. HUGE fan. If you don't like the Vicky's Secret one, regift that bad boy. $30 is a respectable amount.
Hey, man, with gas where it is, a full tank IS something nice for yourself, and anyone who thinks otherwise is straight trippin'.
It's YOUR gift card, do what you want to with it and lose the guilt!
Don't let that Victoria's Secret gift card go to waste!!!! Their bras are the most wonderful piece of clothing I've ever owned. Go buy yourself an IPEX!
Oh, I don't have guilt, I just know a lot of people don't want to give them because they think they're impersonal. I think they offer the receiver more choices.
The VS card was originally $50, so now it's 30 and change. Kinda hard to regift when you have the extra .83 cents to give you away! I'm just tooooo concious to buy their stuff full price, so I'm always waiting for what I want to go on sale. Hopefully the next couple of weeks will provide opportunities.
And here's the current debate. For the holiday Greg recieves $175 in gift cards from various work-related sources while I receive a Hershey's chocolate bar. If the $175 was used to buy multiple chocolate bars, it would definately be the better gift, but as it's going to buy a house we're left with the question of which is better, shelter or chocolate. It's a close call. Maybe dead even.
Do I detect a Dave Ramsey follower?
Heck yeah. It was the $7 in the food envelope that gave it away, right? =) 100K down, $39,659 to go.
And lookie there. Just got a "Semi-Annual Sale" email from Vicky's... BWAHAHAHA!
Hey Dave is the man. We got the whole "Junior" book set for our daughter, and they're fantastic. Just fantastic.
Sandi,
You would have enjoyed the conversation Susan and I going back and forth that we found a different 5 dollars 3 times in a matter of about 10 minutes. Everytime we did, I would e-mail Susan back the new mortgage balance with that additional 5 dollars gone.
We are on a mission!!!
I got a $50 Vic Sec gift card from my BFF this week for Christmas... (well a $25 from her and a $25 from her cat for all the times I've gone by to feed her while they were out of town this year).
Walked in to VS earlier this week to spend it walked out empty handed. Couldn't see a single thing I wanted...
I wiped out almost all of my VS card online last night. The online clearance sale is pretty good right now. And they've changed the system so they aren't doing the stupid debit card thing anymore. AND I didn't have to go to the mall.
Oohhh..thanks for the tip.. I'll go check it out now. Oops.. did I admit that at work? =)
Saw a Santa Mr. Potatohead in Target and instantly thought of you.
Funny how you get a thing associated with a person. I see Saints stuff I think of Stacey. Also, this morning I took a short cut through a subdivision to get to Lakeland. It was pitch dark and many houses had their lights still on from overnight. One house on the corner had two HUGE pink lighted flamingos as part of their decorations. I instantly thought of you...
Rambling supermom...
ooooh! I'd been looking for a Santa tater head! Not sure it's worth a trip to Target, though. Not today. They should make a reindeer tater head. That'd be funny.
I admire people who will put up a huge lighted flamingo at Christmas. I've only seen it once before, several years ago in Castlewoods, complete with palm tree.
Some people definitely use them as a gift-giving crutch, but they can come in handy as well. Nothing like finding a Wal-Mart card with some money on it when you need to gas up the car!
CRAP! I wish I knew... I would have gotten one for you... I just ASSUMED you had one...
If I have to run by Target on my way home this afternoon, I'll grab you one.
I may have one before the holiday is over, you just never know what's under the tree.
And if you have to go by target tonight... dear heavens woman, just save yourself!
A lighted flamingo? That's awesome! I want one...
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