• hanke@feddit.nu
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    3 days ago

    I actually think gift cards can be just fine.

    Someone just moved and need to get furniture? I don’t want to decide what lamp you get yourself. Giftcard!

    Or by using my self as an example; I never buy my self fancy chocolates, incense, scented candles or such, but I like having them. If I got a gift card for a store of that kind I would be forced to spend it there and thereby forced to make my self happy.

    Of course a gift card at Amazon or whatever would not be very fun. There is zero thought behind that.

      • Demdaru@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        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

        • HellieSkellie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          3 days ago

          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.

          • AFK BRB Chocolate (CA version)@lemmy.ca
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            3 days ago

            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?

          • Demdaru@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            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.

          • TheEmpireStrikesDak@thelemmy.club
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            2 days ago

            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.