Should I be in trouble?

[Catch-up]

Just thought I'd ask for opinions here. I recently got scolded for using some gift cards I got for Christmas for things for the girls. It was light-hearted scolding, but I'm feeling a little bad now. The places I used the cards didn't have anything I wanted to buy for myself (I did look!), but they did have things I would have bought for the girls anyway. From my point of view I did use the cards for myself, because they saved me the money for things I would have gotten anyway. What do you think?

[Nienna]

Hehe, sounds like one of those 'scoldings' you for not being enough of a bad person! You did a lovely thing but maybe the person doing the scolding thinks, and I agree, that it's ok to be selfish every now and then. At least that's what I'm guessing!

[Dotsie]

Hmmm. I always lie! My mother-in-law gave me some vouchers for Christmas for M&S (does clothes, household, & food, in case there's no M&S in America) so I used it for food. But I told her I bought underwear - a bit extravagant & she can't ask to see it!

[Tonyblack]

Gift certificates are one of my bugbears.

First of all they (usually) tie you to one shop and they generally won't give you any change. That means unless you can find something either exactly the value of the certificates you lose out or end up buying something that costs more.

The store has already had the money for these things when whoever bought the certificates bought them. So a £10 gift token should be like a £10 note and they should (in my opinion) give you change.

Susanne, I don't think you've done anything wrong - you have basically been given extra money to spend and one way or another you've used that on yourself.

[Jan Van Quirm]

Gift cards are wonderful if you don't know what to buy a person (which is why they're so wonderful and not a cop out at all as it's much nicer than guessing and end up giving a completely wrong or usless present surely...?) so how your friend chooses to 'spend' the card is surely absolutely fine too.

Just in case anyone wonders - I'll always happily accept book tokens and 'I want one of those.com' vouchers

[Catch-up]

Thanks guys!

I can understand someone being a little disappointed that I didn't spend on myself. I don't mind getting gift cards at all! However, since stores are dropping like flies over here, I thought it would be wise to use them as soon as possible. And I really am grateful that I had them to use for things I was going to buy anyway!

I agree with you Tony, they should be treated like money and you should be given change. Over here, if you don't use the full amount, it just stays on the gift card until you use it. But, some stores automatically start deducting 10% from your gift card balance after the first year. That really makes me angry!

Dotsie, I love it! I will remember the underwear lie in case I have to use it in the future.

[Quilpusha]

Who gives gift tokens with conditions. Certainly, I don't.

As far as I am concerned Susanne, you did nothing wrong. Heavens knows haw it can be otherwise.

After all, the gift of an unsolicited voucher could be seen as a cop-out - an easy way of buying the gift in the first place.

[Tiffany]

Just thought I'd ask for opinions here. I recently got scolded for using some gift cards I got for Christmas for things for the girls. It was light-hearted scolding, but I'm feeling a little bad now. The places I used the cards didn't have anything I wanted to buy for myself (I did look!), but they did have things I would have bought for the girls anyway. From my point of view I did use the cards for myself, because they saved me the money for things I would have gotten anyway. What do you think?

Who scolded you? The person who gave you the gift cards?
Nothing wrong in using them for someone else. Maybe if the giver does know, it might have been better not to say what you did with them. On the other hand you were honest & what you did does make sense.

I am dreadful, if I get a gift I don't want, I sell it on our stall. Daughter does the same thing. Sometimes we even have items one has given the other. We laugh over that though.

I agree about the gift cards, they should give change with them as they were bought to be used as money. I have had a few arguments with stores over that. But I never have that problem in book shops coz I always spend more than the voucher is worth.

[chris.ph]

lots of people over here bought gift tokens for a company called savvi which did dvds and cds they went bust and didnt honour the tokens , so be careful at the moment

[Lest]

Hhhmmm.. intersting one....

In my opinion..... I'd rather give actual cash than a voucher... as there is no restrictions or deductions for this!!!

I do see vouchers as a cop out, but they are bought with the intention of being "Credit" to the receiver to buy themselves a gift that they choose. Hence being a present to celebrate what ever occassion it may be!!! Therefore, i can appreciate why you did get a scolding, but i would never go that far myself....

Best stick to the "Underwear" excuse!!! ;o)

Lest

[Tonyblack]

A gift should be given without conditions.

[Catch-up]

It was my m.i.l. who gave the cards and did the scolding. Now, I have to add, she bought me non-gift card gifts too (these were from Christmas), and she really did mean well. The scolding was along the lines of "Those were for you! You should have gotten something for yourself." Again, she meant well, but I was a little exasperated, because she went on a bit. I just couldn't see buying something for me, just for the sake of it, rather than getting something I would have had to buy anyway. And, if the economic climate was different, I might have held on to them longer, but the way stores are closing down it didn't seem wise!

[LadyL]

I myself see vouchers as a problem sometimes because the shops often dont give you change if the amount you buy for is less and therefore I might feel urged to buy something more expensive and add my own money just for the sake of using the voucher in a certain time.

I think what you did was rational and clever , at least I would have done it the same way

[Catch-up]

Thanks for backing me up guys! I'm not feeling guilty anymore.