No really, gift cards are stupid!

[Dark Jaguar]

Don't people get that they got DUPED by companies selling them this nonsense? Why do people bother? If you can't think of a gift, just give money! I mean a gift card is exactly as impersonal but can only be spent in certain places and has an expiration date. It's all the downsides of any other way you might go and not a single plus to be had! Put a dollar towards a velvet drawstring bag if you want it to look nice, I dunno, just stop buying gift cards!

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money...lls-ov.htm

[Great Rumbler]

Yeah, gift cards are stupid.

[alien space marine]

gift cards are great to poop on!

[Dark Jaguar]

Hey, some people agree with me.

I try to talk family and friends out of gift cards and to money instead just because I think the upsides of that outweigh any bad "image" they might get, and every argument has been wittled away but this one. "Well if I get money I spend it on necessities, but if I get a gift card I HAVE to spend it on a book or music or something." That... no really you consider that a plus? If you are in enough financial trouble that a gift of money must be spent on food and shelter, isn't that an argument FOR giving them money instead of a gift card? What sort of relief is it to know you can't use that gift card on the necessities?

It really just seems like the most backwards sort of argument...

[Sacred Jellybean]

A friend of mine told me that she liked gift cards because they forced her to spend money on something specific. Whereas she'd usually be poor at Friendly's (a franchise diner, with delicious sundaes), she could whip out a gift card and actually have money to spend. So for those with lack of self-control, gift cards can be a good thing.

I don't mind them as long as they're for something I can use. I'd probably prefer money in the long run, but if it gives me means to buy books/movies/games/food, I won't complain. Stop complaining about your gifts, you god damn brats.

[DMiller]

I always prefer gift cards to money because it makes me feel like I actually got a gift from the person. If I get a $50 gift card from Best Buy and buy Mario Galaxy I associate Mario Galaxy with the person who gave me the gift card. If the person just gives me $50 cash I will most likely spend it on groceries. I don't give gift cards as gifts but I definitely prefer receiving them to receiving cash.

[Dark Jaguar]

I just don't get that. It's entirely a lack of self control and some weird psychological association that does it? Well that's not very logical at all is it?

[A Black Falcon]

A lot of people have really bad self-control with money... and I'd agree that a gift card does seem a little bit more like a "real" gift than money, though I'd rather get money than a gift card I think.

[Dark Jaguar]

I certainly would. I just can't see how it's more "real". It seems more "I just got ripped off by some company and want to share the limitations with YOU". I wouldn't want to give someone a gift card because to do so would basically be saying "you have an idiot for a friend, get used to nonsense like this, next year I'm getting you an ozone generator".

[A Black Falcon]

It shows that a little bit more effort went into it than just cash...