Community Chat

[deeva]

My grandkids who live in other states love gift cards. I only buy Visa, Master Card or American Express. Too risky to buy store gift cards, especially now with so many stores closing. 

If my grands lived near me, I would give them cash. 

[Jordan2]

@tototwo gift cards are great if you know the recipient would like one. If you get it for a particular store, make sure the person shops there, there's nothing worse than getting a gift card to a place you don't shop. Be careful which cards you buy, my sister bought me a Visa card from CVS, the company that issued it was Vanilla Mint. I couldn't use the card online, I had to use it in a brick and mortar store.

[Roscoe the Rascal]

I like them.  I can buy what I want then.  I have gotten some items from a place and a gift card for the same place as well.

The people that buy for me know me well.  I am hardly ever disappointed in a gift.  I have said to myself oh my what will I do with that.  Funny.  I have received a variety of gifts over the years but I am sure some of what I have given has caught a laugh or two.

I'm in it for much more than gifts.  I actually prefer to receive simple things.  A nice candle, gloves, k cups etc.  Things I will use or enjoy.  We buy our own big ticket items.  

It is always fun to get a little something but I love to see the faces on the things I give.  

[Sooner]

Maybe I am influenced by my mother who would ask me what I wanted, then say "No, that's not what I want to get you."

[Spurt]

There's only a couple that I give gifts to---(close friends and family we make a donation to a charity)....but there are a  couple of co-workers that I give a Christmas Card and gift card to (I know what they like so its either a Starbucks, Bath & Body Works, or Barnes & Noble gift card)....

I dont mind receiving them if its a retailer that I like to shop at---but my brother sent me one for a restuarant I dont even like .....If you are giving a gift card know what the person really likes....

[Spurt]

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@Meowingkitty wrote:

I would rather have a gift card to a store I shop so I can get something on sale after Christmas. I have no need for sweaters or jackets (to hot where I live) dust collectors etc. nothing worse than getting a gift and having to pretend you like it only for it to end up in the donate pile. I also wouldn't mind if someone gave me cat food or cat toys. 

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@Meowingkitty 

My sister is very practical and her cat is on expensive prescription food so she appreciates a gift card from Petsmart (I say its from my cats to her cat 😺)

[stevieb]

They make an awful lot of sense. I used to rail against them but have come to understand their desirability as well as their utility even though they're still not among my favorites to give or to receive.

[CelticCrafter]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

@happycat    Kudos to you for gifting all 20 nieces and nephews!

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We have no where near that many but I stopped after having to ask year after year if they received the packages.

[gidgetgh]

I love to give gift cards as add on gifts.  Like this year, in addition to their gifts,  my niece and nephews are also getting an a Amazon gift card from me.  If they go out of business, then retail as a whole is done.

I'm also giving Target, Apple, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts gift cards this year as add on gifts.  

My oldest nephews birthday is in February.  He asked for, and will be getting, a Delta gift card.  Optimism that we will be able to travel freely again one day. 

[Cakers3]

I still buy gift cards for granchildren along with a few gifts. 

My only issue with the generic gift cards such as the Vanilla cards is that if you shop online and have to return something, you only get a store credit.

They do not reload or have cash value.  I'm not sure about Macy's, Amazon, etc. as to how they handle returns bought on their own gift cards.

So the few times I've been given a generic card I either shop in person (which is hard now) or I stick with just one clothing outlet I know I'll return to throughout the year to use a store credit.

I still like a gift card but I like to give gifts with them, too. 

It's only the DS family now anyway so easy peasy.