On the last day of school my partner teacher and I usually exchange cards and some sort of small gift. This year was no exception, and she was nice enough to get me a $25 gift card to Target. I love gift cards to Target because you can get ANYTHING.
Being that it's the end of a spendy kind of month, I chose to get necessities instead of fun stuff. I picked up 12 rolls of toilet paper, toilet bowl cleaner, moisturizer, cotton pads for taking off my eye makeup, a bag for washing bras in the washing machine, and a bottle of Sobe water as a "treat" after the gym. I spent $24.21, and got the change back.
I know that probably wasn't what she had in mind when she got me the gift card, but honestly I think I was more satisfied in getting things I needed than I would be in buying a new shirt or DVD. Which is definitely a shift in thinking from the old me. And, that's what makes it a gift. I spend it on what makes me happy. And what made me happy today was keeping my budget in line for the month of June. :)
Would you care if someone used a gift card to buy necessities or gifts for someone else? (I've been known to do that too.)
I sure would buy what I needed. I often get gift cards for no gratis work I do. I use them to boost my budget. In fact the restaurant cards I barter for in exchange for lessons, I give away as gifts to new mom's. Everyone gets a ton of sleeper, but I give a $25.00 gift card so the new mommy can have a meal out. I also give gift cards to graduates. So much of my gift giving I don't pay for. Yippee!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would be upset about it. I think that if there was something special that the gift giver wanted me to have they would have picked it out specifically.
ReplyDeleteI have done a similar thing in the past. I took a gift card that was given to me and swapped it out in my budget. I used the value of the gift card to boost my emergency fund and used the gift card to buy necessities that I would have spent the cash on.
It wouldn't bother me at all. I would be happy that they made used of it instead of me getting them something that they don't want/need.
ReplyDeleteI'd actually be HAPPY if someone did that because I'd know that it's being used! Although I'm currently on a non-consumer kick, so that kinda taints my opinion :P
ReplyDeleteGreat use of an awesome gift!