If I was given money it would just get swallowed up in my day to day spending but a gift card makes you spend it on something that's a treat.
I am getting cinema and Nandos gift cards for Christmas so it will pay for a nice evening out for myself and Mr dolphin, which I may not do if I was given cash.
There is a great gift card you can get which you can use anywhere. It's called a bank note. It can even be swapped for gift cards which can be used in different countries. It will even be valid, subject to an act of parliament, for the rest of eternity.
Or you can get an inferior one from amazon which a) can only be sued in Amazon b) probably has a use by date, and c) is worthless if amazon goes bust (unlikely in amazon's case, but reasonably possible in the case of most gift card issuers.
STOP BUYING GIFT CARDS
They are for mugs. And nobody will be offended if you give them money. Unless they are utter cretins, in which case, they don't deserve anything.
Some things can only be bought online and you cant stuff a £20 in the PC no matter how hard you try. I have bought my grand kids Itune gift cards.
If I was given money it would just get swallowed up in my day to day spending but a gift card makes you spend it on something that's a treat.
I am getting cinema and Nandos gift cards for Christmas so it will pay for a nice evening out for myself and Mr dolphin, which I may not do if I was given cash.
Exactly this.. I was always given money and it always went on my kids or just swallowed up by the household shopping.. Now I get Amazon gift cards given to me and it will go on me
Must be a regional thing. The Asda I posted from yesterday officially did not stock them.
For the FMs suggesting the email versions, I suppose it just comes down to personal preferences, and I'd personally hate to receive an email as a gift.
Must be a regional thing. The Asda I posted from yesterday officially did not stock them.
For the FMs suggesting the email versions, I suppose it just comes down to personal preferences, and I'd personally hate to receive an email as a gift.
Whereas if you bought them a gift they'd be stuck with one item from one shop. Nobody would say that was a con though. Gift cards just give the recipient a bit of a choice of similarly themed gifts.
Whereas if you bought them a gift they'd be stuck with one item from one shop. Nobody would say that was a con though. Gift cards just give the recipient a bit of a choice of similarly themed gifts.
I know!
I know that my BIL will appreciate it as he can then get what he likes with it, but knowing he is getting his Kindle he will probable just get books.
If I was given money it would just get swallowed up in my day to day spending but a gift card makes you spend it on something that's a treat.
I am getting cinema and Nandos gift cards for Christmas so it will pay for a nice evening out for myself and Mr dolphin, which I may not do if I was given cash.
Presumably that's an attempt to wind me up... you and your brother can't be that stupid.
You're sharp.
But seriously, if someone gives you an Amazon voucher no one can make you spend it on the boring things in life like bills instead of Xbox games, can they? Therefore to a 20-something Xbox nerd Amazon vouchers kind of are superior to money in every way.
Whereas if you bought them a gift they'd be stuck with one item from one shop. Nobody would say that was a con though. Gift cards just give the recipient a bit of a choice of similarly themed gifts.
Have you tried WHSmith? My local one stocks literally every gift card you can think of.
Well, provided that
a) the issuer doesn't go bust; and
b) the use by date of the gift card hasn't expired
then you will get the £100 back, so long as you actually want something that the issuer of the card sells.
I think most people buy a voucher for a shop they know the recipient uses. I mean, who couldn't find something they wanted on Amazon?!
If you give someone cash they're more likely to put it in their wallet then just spend it on a bill or food. At least with a voucher they have to treat themselves. Most last at least 2 years, so expiry probably isn't an issue.
Just seems like because you don't like receiving gift cards you assume everyone else is the same. They're not.
Well, provided that
a) the issuer doesn't go bust; and
b) the use by date of the gift card hasn't expired
then you will get the £100 back, so long as you actually want something that the issuer of the card sells.
I've bought a couple nieces this gift card where they can spend it in the shop or online in many different retailers (they say it's 17,000 of them but I've not gone through them all) and there's no expiry date. In fact they can use it like a TfL Oyster Card where money can be added on or partly used, and it's sold through the Post Office, so I reckon it's secure enough from disasters like Comet's initial stance on their vouchers and gift cards when they went out of business.
Exactly this.. I was always given money and it always went on my kids or just swallowed up by the household shopping.. Now I get Amazon gift cards given to me and it will go on me
Agreed, any time my mum is given money as a present, she always 'borrows' from herself, and it ends up being part of the household money as she never pays herself back. At least with a voucher from somewhere I know she will shop in, is a better option for me to give to her.
I think most people buy a voucher for a shop they know the recipient uses. I mean, who couldn't find something they wanted on Amazon?!
If you give someone cash they're more likely to put it in their wallet then just spend it on a bill or food. At least with a voucher they have to treat themselves. Most last at least 2 years, so expiry probably isn't an issue.
Just seems like because you don't like receiving gift cards you assume everyone else is the same. They're not.
Exactly how does it make any difference whether the exact bank note you give someone is spent on a 'treat' or on food? It's just an accretion to someone's funds. If you give someone money as a gift you have made them richer. You have given them the opportunity to buy a treat. Whether they use the actual bank note you give them for that purpose is surely entirely unimportant.
It is of course perfectly true that you are unlikely to want something that isn't available on Amazon. Though of course it is almost impossible to find something that can't be purchased with pounds sterling. 'Almost impossible' is better than 'unlikely'.
I've bought a couple nieces this gift card where they can spend it in the shop or online in many different retailers (they say it's 17,000 of them but I've not gone through them all) and there's no expiry date. In fact they can use it like a TfL Oyster Card where money can be added on or partly used, and it's sold through the Post Office, so I reckon it's secure enough from disasters like Comet's initial stance on their vouchers and gift cards when they went out of business.
Okay so you've managed to find a gift card which is more like money. The question has to be asked, if gift cards which more closely resemble money are better, then why don't you just give money instead?
Exactly how does it make any difference whether the exact bank note you give someone is spent on a 'treat' or on food? It's just an accretion to someone's funds. If you give someone money as a gift you have made them richer. You have given them the opportunity to buy a treat. Whether they use the actual bank note you give them for that purpose is surely entirely unimportant.
It is of course perfectly true that you are unlikely to want something that isn't available on Amazon. Though of course it is almost impossible to find something that can't be purchased with pounds sterling. 'Almost impossible' is better than 'unlikely'.
Okay so you've managed to find a gift card which is more like money. The question has to be asked, if gift cards which more closely resemble money are better, then why don't you just give money instead?
:yawn: I bet Christmas is a bundle of laughs in the proviso household.
Exactly how does it make any difference whether the exact bank note you give someone is spent on a 'treat' or on food? It's just an accretion to someone's funds. If you give someone money as a gift you have made them richer. You have given them the opportunity to buy a treat. Whether they use the actual bank note you give them for that purpose is surely entirely unimportant.
It is of course perfectly true that you are unlikely to want something that isn't available on Amazon. Though of course it is almost impossible to find something that can't be purchased with pounds sterling. 'Almost impossible' is better than 'unlikely'.
Okay so you've managed to find a gift card which is more like money. The question has to be asked, if gift cards which more closely resemble money are better, then why don't you just give money instead?
BIB
Think you missed the point that was being made, the point is most people never actually treat themselves as the cash is swallowed up on everyday living
Comments
What's the con? It's not like you pay £100 and get £90 back
I think its because you are stuck to one shop.
I am getting cinema and Nandos gift cards for Christmas so it will pay for a nice evening out for myself and Mr dolphin, which I may not do if I was given cash.
Some things can only be bought online and you cant stuff a £20 in the PC no matter how hard you try. I have bought my grand kids Itune gift cards.
Exactly this.. I was always given money and it always went on my kids or just swallowed up by the household shopping.. Now I get Amazon gift cards given to me and it will go on me
Must be a regional thing. The Asda I posted from yesterday officially did not stock them.
For the FMs suggesting the email versions, I suppose it just comes down to personal preferences, and I'd personally hate to receive an email as a gift.
Thats why I was so glad to find the card I did!
I know!
I know that my BIL will appreciate it as he can then get what he likes with it, but knowing he is getting his Kindle he will probable just get books.
Good answer !
You're sharp.
But seriously, if someone gives you an Amazon voucher no one can make you spend it on the boring things in life like bills instead of Xbox games, can they? Therefore to a 20-something Xbox nerd Amazon vouchers kind of are superior to money in every way.
And I love receiving iTunes and Amazon vouchers and I bet your grandkids did too!
Have you tried WHSmith? My local one stocks literally every gift card you can think of.
Well, provided that
a) the issuer doesn't go bust; and
b) the use by date of the gift card hasn't expired
then you will get the £100 back, so long as you actually want something that the issuer of the card sells.
Bah humbug
I think most people buy a voucher for a shop they know the recipient uses. I mean, who couldn't find something they wanted on Amazon?!
If you give someone cash they're more likely to put it in their wallet then just spend it on a bill or food. At least with a voucher they have to treat themselves. Most last at least 2 years, so expiry probably isn't an issue.
Just seems like because you don't like receiving gift cards you assume everyone else is the same. They're not.
That's just weird:p
Not really, if you have a relly with a kindle and you don't use a PC, or shop online, you can get them what they want from Wilkies
Agreed, any time my mum is given money as a present, she always 'borrows' from herself, and it ends up being part of the household money as she never pays herself back. At least with a voucher from somewhere I know she will shop in, is a better option for me to give to her.
Exactly how does it make any difference whether the exact bank note you give someone is spent on a 'treat' or on food? It's just an accretion to someone's funds. If you give someone money as a gift you have made them richer. You have given them the opportunity to buy a treat. Whether they use the actual bank note you give them for that purpose is surely entirely unimportant.
It is of course perfectly true that you are unlikely to want something that isn't available on Amazon. Though of course it is almost impossible to find something that can't be purchased with pounds sterling. 'Almost impossible' is better than 'unlikely'.
Okay so you've managed to find a gift card which is more like money. The question has to be asked, if gift cards which more closely resemble money are better, then why don't you just give money instead?
:yawn: I bet Christmas is a bundle of laughs in the proviso household.
he might get a gift card himself off Santa, he be more miserable then
BIB
Think you missed the point that was being made, the point is most people never actually treat themselves as the cash is swallowed up on everyday living