Would you be offended if you were to receive cash for a present?

A Christmas present or birthday present...

Does the idea of getting cash offend you?

Terry

Cash is always the perfect fit. For me, at least.

Then again, most of my relatives lived 500 miles north for most of my life, so I got checks most of the time. Sometimes it bothered me that they didn't try to find out what I wanted, but most of the time, I was cool with it.

I'm not one of those "you have to go to the store and take the time to pick something out for me" types. I'm much more practical.

Now asking directly for cash as a present -- that's a bit much.

unless there is something specific that I want or need. They have no clue what I want any more. So, I get to purchase what I want (usually something small these days). I also get to put a few bucks in the bank, which comes in handy from time to time. :-)

i use it for my travel fund -- it's the very best gift.

i should have said that, damn!

otherwise no I welcome cash.

But my husband, at the time fiance gave me cash for Xmas once. I told him that I would rather have a handmade ashtray (even though I don't smoke) then recieve cash. He has been the best gift giver ever since.

In fact, I prefer to chose my own presents.

It's funny. We draw names at Xmas. $50 limit. Everybody gives everybody else $50.

How dumb is that?

but it's kind of a thoughtless gift. I've given cash plenty of times myself, but it is somewhat disappointing to get cash. It's like the person is saying I don't want to invest the time to get you something thoughtful, so here.

That said, extra cash is never a bad thing.

Pul-lease - let me have the cash. Even a giftcard is a better option that junk I'll never use or never wear!

and how thoughtful of you to remember my upcoming birthday!
:)

never hurts to try...
dp

MUCH needed since i am renovating our kitchen. PERFECT gift!

If I get cash, sometimes it can be difficult to spend it on a gift. Often times, the money gets deposited into a bank account, and never really gets spent as intended.

If somebody who is buying me a gift doesn't really know me well enough, I'd prefer they call and ask me what I want.

A couple of fellow DUers who came to my B-day party did this; they wanted to bring a gift, but didn't know what I'd like, so they emailed me and asked.

I pointed them to my amazon.com wish list. It's fairly extensive, so what they got me was still a surprise.

And I love getting those little gift cards from Barnes and Noble and my favorite restaurants. Those are my favorite gifts. It's like they really thought of something I love to do. I love to go sit for hours in Barnes and Noble. And cash is even better because then I can go buy a tshirt or two to satisfy my fetish. LOL
Duckie

Receiving cash means I can put towards something I really want. Instead of unwrapping a present only to find it is something I already have, or didn't need.

Anyone remember the scene in "The Apartment" where Fred MacMurray gives his mistress Shirley MacLain some bills for Christmas? Very telling.

cash is the best!

I used to get cash every year from my grandparents, but it was also in addition to other stuff.

Right now, money's kinda tight and most of our extended family know that. So I don't mind having some extra to pay the bills, etc. Really, I have plenty of material stuff. That doesn't mean there aren't things I'd like as gifts, of course, just that at the moment, I'm just as happy with the cash. After we move and hopefully John's got a well-paying job, I may change my tune :)

That is what I give my son and nephews and nieces and cousins for birthdays and Christmas. They can get what they want that way.

Send LOTS... let's see how offended I could become.

-- Allen

And it's on its way to you, Allen.

I'll even go without lunch today...just for you.

:-)

Terry

Some people just can't figure out how to buy a nice gift, and that's fine -- I'll take their cash or check.

However, to give me a gift certificate/card and put the onus on shopping at a certain place for certain items is rude in the extreme. Yeah, I can sell them on Ebay for a fraction of what you paid, or (as in one case) I had to travel 3 hours round trip to spend the cards, not counting the time spent in the store trying to figure out wtf I would spend $300 on in the store in question.

If you can't shop, and you find it a chore, don't assume that MY time is of no value and it's OK to pass the shopping on to me.

Cash is fine and often to be preferred to some of the "gifts" people come up with as they get older and sillier (we have a history of Alzheimer's in our family and even a healthy person can, let's face it, get out of touch). But GCs cross a line into rudeness...you are giving me that card because, in many cases, someone gave it to you not because you want me to have a gift. I'll hide my thoughts about being inconvenienced to your face, but that's because I'm a courteous person, not because you are.

Down with GCs!

Usually accompanied by something small like a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates or a pound of fancy coffee.

It's a way of saying "I wanted to get you something here, but I wasn't sure what you could use."

But on reflection, I can see that at Christmastime, I receive both cash/gift certificates AND thoughtful gifts from my family, and I really appreciate both.