giftcards are a more controlling form of cash. It is not more thoughtful. Genuinely a shittier gift where you lock down where someone can spend their money.
When you can give a real gift to someone, do that. When the choice is between cash or a gift card, then never choose a gift card.
If it’s a gift (rather than helping me out because I’m struggling to pay my bills), I’d rather have a gift card. Give me cash and it’ll just merge with the rest of my money and go towards bills. Give me a gift card and I’ll spend it on actual treats.
A previous employer gave me over £100 in Love2Shop gift cards (generic high street gift card) and I used them to buy a ton of art supplies that I wouldn’t have bought if I’d just been given cash (which probably would have just gone straight into my savings).
That reminds me, my last employer gave me £150 in cash when he had to make me redundant and it’s still gathering dust as an emergency cash fund. So yeah, if he gave me a gift card, I’d have had to use it to buy myself something.
By that logic, giving someone a physical thing is the most controlling. @Hanke made the example of getting a gift card for a lamp or furniture store instead of picking a lamp. Isn’t the card less controlling in that vein?
People wrote around what it is. It’s a gift. I can get you a new lamp after hearing you need one that you won’t like or I can find a close, fancy shop with lamps, get gift card and give it to you.
Cash always has more important things to get spent on. Gift card are just this - gifts. Shitty ones, like for whole mall, are sad. Specific ones are great, they give you choice while clearly showing thought and care.
Hell. Both cash and non-specific gift cards aren’t even gifts imo, there’s no care nor thought behind them.
why limit what someone can buy. Just give them cash.
Because this is part of gift? “Don’t give me present, cash will do. No, I don’t want any proof you care, just money, please.”
Damn ya all soulless
giftcards are a more controlling form of cash. It is not more thoughtful. Genuinely a shittier gift where you lock down where someone can spend their money.
When you can give a real gift to someone, do that. When the choice is between cash or a gift card, then never choose a gift card.
If it’s a gift (rather than helping me out because I’m struggling to pay my bills), I’d rather have a gift card. Give me cash and it’ll just merge with the rest of my money and go towards bills. Give me a gift card and I’ll spend it on actual treats.
A previous employer gave me over £100 in Love2Shop gift cards (generic high street gift card) and I used them to buy a ton of art supplies that I wouldn’t have bought if I’d just been given cash (which probably would have just gone straight into my savings).
That reminds me, my last employer gave me £150 in cash when he had to make me redundant and it’s still gathering dust as an emergency cash fund. So yeah, if he gave me a gift card, I’d have had to use it to buy myself something.
By that logic, giving someone a physical thing is the most controlling. @Hanke made the example of getting a gift card for a lamp or furniture store instead of picking a lamp. Isn’t the card less controlling in that vein?
People wrote around what it is. It’s a gift. I can get you a new lamp after hearing you need one that you won’t like or I can find a close, fancy shop with lamps, get gift card and give it to you.
Cash always has more important things to get spent on. Gift card are just this - gifts. Shitty ones, like for whole mall, are sad. Specific ones are great, they give you choice while clearly showing thought and care.
Hell. Both cash and non-specific gift cards aren’t even gifts imo, there’s no care nor thought behind them.