Cash or Gift Cards?  

Hi dorannmwin

I am not from christian community but really enjoy Christmas. I receive christian card from my christian friends and I too send them. But I don't know what the relation of card and cash. I think card has and original test and value so we should not think of cash in place of card. May be I am wrong ... but this is my personal view.

Hi there! Merry Christmas in advance to you!
As for me, I want to give and receive cash rather than gifts cards.
Because it is hassle free. It is easy to use and you can get the change. unlike in gift cards you have to match it with the exact amount. Money is easier to use anywhere anytime

I usually buy gifts for everyone except my niece and nephew. I give them gift cards b/c they are so hard to shop for. They are 12 and 14 and their likes change so fast that it's almost impossible to keep up with.

b]!!Happy Turkey Day!!

~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~

**STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**

I will give gift cards. I am getting alot of them through the survey sites and game sites that I do. My son and daughter love them. I also give my parents some to restaurants, as they eat out alot.

Like you, I tend to give gifts too. I try to find thoughtful gifts that I find at a bargain throughout the year . . . so I don't have to spend oodles of money at the end the year. Often it seems I spent more than it seems - so I get a kick out of that. But of course with cash or gift cards, the amount is definite - you can seem either generous or cheap - hee hee.

We are in CA, and I believe that gift cards here can never expire and they can't subtract fees from it (which I think some states do). The only time I get concerned is if the business goes out. Like I have a few Robinsons-May cards . . .but luckily Macy's accepts them.

With my family, I'd rather give gift cards. For instance, my parents give us cash - usually a big amount. It'd almost make no sense to give them cash back, you know what I mean? My parents seem to have everything and don't need much - including cash. So what we do is give them gift cards to restaurants and eateries . . . because as they rarely go out, this gives them an excuse to go out!!! Even a movie gift certificate is good for them.

My sister always gives gift cards. She tries to think of stores we would normally go to - say like Target or Babies R Us, Toys R Us. Or she gives those Visa/Mastercard (or American Express) gift cards . . . that way it can be used wherever those credit cards are accepted (which is mostly like cash). But usually there is like a 5 dollar fee when you buy each of those credit card logo gift cards - so you might just stick to cash if you need to buy many of those.

Me, I guess I'd rather receive cash. All of the cash we get tends to be stashed away afterwards instead of being spent - and we all know it's hard to save up these days! But if it's a gift card from a store I go to anyway, then I'm fine with . . . it's nice to when I can buy needed things with a gift card - like shampoo or soap! My husband gets grocery store gift cards as part of his bonus - so we love getting those.

There is one friend who gives us gift cards each year, but it ends up staying in our wallets. She is more tight on shopping time than money (how nice) - so you can tell her gifts are usually not thought out too well. It's a gift, and I shouldn't complain, but it certainly isn't practical for us.

I think cash is more useful, but in my family, we tend to give gift cards at Christmas time. it seems more fun, I guess. I do receive cash for my birthday though.

This is difficult because it depends on a few things. If I did not know what to give some young people then I may go for a gift card. Having said that I am not giving gift cards this year because I am having a happy but frugal Christmas. Keeping to a strict budget but have bought gifts throughout the year for many people and this does help. Children will get modest gifts and even more modest ones for my grown children. I am not buying Christmas cars for anyone except my two sisters who live in another country from me.

My preference is to buy the perfect gift rather than giving cash or a gift card.

Hi I have done both & both have their advantages & disadvantages. As of two years ago or so my all time favorite is something called Ribbons.You purchase the one you want to give (different price ranges)the recipient then goes online browses through the given choices of great quality items & many many choices to chose from, makes their choice & has it shipped to wherever they want to receive it. Nothing to pay just open the ribbon & make your choice.It's awesome!No stress on my part as well (shopping in the crowds)who needs it.

I would personally prefer to get money, because then i can spend them on whatever I want to..
though i prefer to give giftcard, because it in someway shows that you though about what to give them. if you just give money, it looks like, you dont really know much about the person OR that it was a gift you just threw together REALLY fast.

I prefer to give cash as well as recieve as that way you get a choice where to spend it as well as what to spend it on,where as when you get a gift card you have to use it in the shop that it is for and there may not be anything there that you want.