Okay...gift cards can be great but I do not feel they are necessarily appropriate for everyone. Some people love gift cards, others of us, dislike them depending on the circumstances. My spouse asked me what I wanted for a gift, and I told him that I would love a new radio in my car. Instead of getting me a radio, he gave me a gift card with a large amount of money on it. I have yet to use the card. You see, money is not an issue for me. If I wanted to get a radio myself, I would have done that long ago. To me, giving me a gift card says, "oh...here you go hon..I didn't want to take the time to do something nice for you so if you want it, go get it your damn self". Thus, the evil vengeful bitch in me is thinking about cutting up the gift card and giving it back to him
[Edited 1/14/10 7:47am]

that's it. i'm going ghey.

whistle said:

YES! Finally!!

wanna practice?

In general I love gift cards. Especially if they’re coming from someone who has a hard time knowing my taste (like my family). And I always feel lucky to have received anything at all. Honestly, cards even make me happy. Someone took a little time for me, right?

In a case like you described though, yeah, that’s kinda lame. Especially if you were thinking he could pick out a better radio than you could (which is what I’d be thinking if I were in that situation ).

I'm not a fan of gift cards. It always bugs me that whoever bought it had to pay an activation fee, which they would have saved if they had just given me the money. And money is easier to redeem. On any gift card I've ever had, I always end up with some weird balance on it, like $4.67, and you can't get the sales clerk to just take off the card amount from the total of your purchase. So I always end up leaving some amount of money on the card and then just throw it away.

Efan said:

what?

I've never paid an activation fee in my life. And I've never had a problem getting anyone to figure out how to use up the rest of a card. That would be annoying as heck!

CarrieMpls said:

Wait, am I misreading the thread? This could be embarrassing.

I'm talking about those Visa and Mastercard gift cards you see at the grocery store. Not like a gift certificate to a particular store.

Efan said:

ooohhhhh.

I've had one once or twice. I didn't know you had to pay to use them. That's silly.

And yes - you have to know your exact balance and have them ring that amount through first. It IS annoying!

Its a gift card to a specific store....and I don't know a damn thing about picking out radios.

And I had forgotten about how they get away with those small amounts of left over cash on gift cards.....

whistle said:

whistle....I might be looking to date in the near future....are you single?

StillGotIt said:

That'll teach him.

Judging from your reaction to not getting what you were hoping for, maybe he was just plain scared to pick one out for you, shit.
[Edited 1/14/10 7:46am]

johnart said:

x 30

johnart said:

seriously...he knows damn well I dont want to go pick out a radio. To him, he gave me what I wanted but I just dont like impersonal shit. He would have done better giving me a $35 car radio.

StillGotIt said:

Ok....so take the gift card. The both of you go the store and get the flippin radio



No....give him back the gift card. Tell him to get the radio with the gift card and put a bow on it
[Edited 1/14/10 7:58am]

Efan said:

Yeah, those are different BUT lately some of those have done away with the activation fee. My consulting company gave me one for Xmas and I kept forgetting I had.

In general, though I'm a cash or gift card giving FOOL. It's just so easy and really helps you stay within your budget at Xmas time. HOWEVER, from a significant other that is just unacceptable. Gift giving should be actually thoughtful when SO's are involved since they should know you better than anyone and it's really not about the gift itself but the thought put into it.

Girl, kick his ass.

ThreadCula said:

ORRRR, she could send the card to me and I'll send him pics of me spending it. Now that'll teach him!

ThreadCula said:

Whatever you do don't set his car radio on fire or have someone steal it out his car and put it in yours.

SCNDLS said:

I'm glad somebody else is as bitchy as I am....I'm like WTF!!!

I dread valentines day too.....he always gets me something nice but has no idea WTF it is....he has a cousin who is a personal shopper in Texas and she ships shit to me after he gives her a budget!!!!!

Last year....he brought me the brown box that came in the friggin mail...smiled at me and gave it to me. Then came back later to ask "what did I give you?" (mind you...inside was a lovely wrapped box with a gold, diamond & sapphire bracelet but he didn't even know that....) WTF!!!! I didn't say anything (after all...the jewelry was nice) but then he did the same shit for mother's day--another gift that was shopped for me (except this time he took it out of the box--I knew where it came from because he didn't remember to remove her instructions to sign the card.) Additionally, I don't need any more jewelry...I don't wear what I own.

If he wants to make me feel special...bend down and rub my damn feet.....

SCNDLS said:

johnart said:[quote]

ThreadCula said:

what a WONDERFUL idea John!

StillGotIt said:

None of that is acceptable when you're wifey. Is it that hard to be thoughtful? Chile, you need to sit him down and show him the fisting video in the ass douching thread and tell him to straighten up and fly right or else . . .

StillGotIt said:

Seriously, that will REALLY piss him off!

SCNDLS said:

Or better yet,for Valentines day hire some hairy oily dude to come over and personally fist him.

When he's done crying peek around the corner and say..."What did I give you?"

ThreadCula said:

you people are gonna make me pee myself

ThreadCula said:

You know what? I'm done . . .

I was thinking maybe a 6 foot 7 dude with an afro who is an MMA fighter who goes by the name AFRO ZILLA might be god for the job....

dont watch the video...its too damn long...just wanted you to see the dude

[Edited 1/14/10 8:28am]

SCNDLS said:

I'm not a big fan of gift cards either, for a few reasons. Though I fully appreciate the thought, store-specific gift cards may be to places that I don't shop. If you don't know what to get me and feel the urge to give me $50, send the greenbacks my way... Barnes & Noble ain't gon' pay my electric bill. And I have more damn trouble with those Visa and American express giftcards.

The only time I buy people giftcards is if they specifically ask for them. Or if they are someone who I don't really know (from work, friend-of-a-friend, etc.), and I'm getting them something small. For instance, the blessing of caffiene-induced sanity with a $10 Dunkin card... something like that.