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AIBU?

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Original poster

To dislike gift experiences

40 replies

paganmolloy · 04/07/2018 19:02

I know they are given with the best of intentions but of the three I have received

  • first we never got round to doing as a ‘dark sky’ experience wasn’t really our thing, it was on the other side of the country, trying to get a free weekend to tie in with clear weather during a year when it rained mostly was impossible.
  • next up a trip on a boat. One which we’ve already done twice and got no inclination to do it again. Gave it away to a pal.
  • finally a half day ‘making something’ experience which was also gifted to two other friends with the thought we could all go together. I have no interest in making the thing concerned, I’m miffed at giving up half a day at a weekend to do so, the coordination with two other friends was such a logistical nightmare it is eleven months before we could all get a date that suited us.

So in short they have all been a colossal waste of money and time and I feel bad about it as well as ungrateful.

OP posts:
LH2016 · 04/07/2018 22:15

I hate them! Can't bear it. Had to go gliding and now have to make pizza. Ugh

dingdongdigeridoo · 04/07/2018 22:25

I like them. I’m difficult to buy for as I don’t like too much stuff in my house, so I often get spa or afternoon tea vouchers. I live near London so haven’t ever spent that much getting to them, and usually use them when I’m heading to the city anyway.

I’ve also bought a few as gifts. Wine tastings, stadium tours etc. They were used and apparently appreciated. I think you have to be really careful that it’s something they’d really want to do and that it’s not going to massively inconvenience the recipient - ie stuff that’s only available on a weekday, or set in the middle of nowhere.

annandale · 04/07/2018 22:34

I like an experience as a present but not one of these boxed things, which always seem to involve going somewhere you'd never choose even if in theory you like the activity. Just book some tickets for something or take me out for a meal. If you don't know what I'd like, we probably aren't that close and you don't need to get me anything Smile

Hellywelly10 · 04/07/2018 22:43

I found them very difficult to redeem. Went for dinner and theatre. Got charged service for the meal which took the biscuit!! The afternoon tea deals look like a bit of a rip off id rather go to bettys anyday.

Lemons1571 · 04/07/2018 22:46

Last year I was given a large value voucher for a very famous experience website. Decided on two city break hotel stays (would’ve booked hotels then anyway so thought it would at least save ££ by using the vouchers).

Nightmare to get booked in - hotels may have availability on their own website but when you mention you are using this particular company’s voucher to pay .... suddenly they only have Sunday nights left or perhaps Friday 1st January. So stressful!

WerkSupp · 04/07/2018 22:49

They are a waste of money unless you are very close to the person and/or they specifically asked for it.

ItscominghomeItscominghome · 04/07/2018 22:55

Yes, my DHs experience was 200 miles away and so even if he had been able to do it the travel and hotel would have added £300+

Discotits · 04/07/2018 22:55

Got one for Xmas which expired in six months. It was for a spa day, but as I was pregnancy there was nothing I could do so I gave it to my sister and she spent half a day on the bus getting there as the locations were all out of London.

Cattenberg · 04/07/2018 23:07

Got one of these for Christmas one year and had to use the vouchers by April. We had literally not one day available when the whole family were free so I paid a small fortune to extend the vouchers by six months. Only to find that every time I tried to book I was told the activity was already fully booked so would I like to extend for another six months for yet another small fortune? Cheeky fuckery in the extreme and still pisses me off to think about it.

If the activity is fully booked, shouldn't they give you a refund?

I like experience days in theory, but I get the impression that you pay over the odds if you don't buy them direct from the provider.

I bought my best friend a tank-driving experience as I knew that would be right up his street. He was genuinely excited about it and he did go. I just hope it lived up to his expectations - I doubt he'd have told me if it didn't.

I've just seen a gift experience for swimming with crocodiles in Bristol. I think I'd prefer llama-trekking with a cream tea.

xFreePeaceSweetx · 04/07/2018 23:16

You can buy, sell and swap vouchers (gift, experience and code). I always check here first when buying and have exchanged a few times. www.cardyard.co.uk/

DrDougieHowserMD · 04/07/2018 23:19

My DS was given a trampolining place voucher. DH and I however don't like them as there's been some pretty horrific stories in the press of late with both kids and adults getting serious injuries. It's also bloody miles away and DH and I don't know the area to drive to. Far more hassle than the voucher is worth. And with these types of gifts, it's difficult as you feel obliged to use them.

AnnabelleLecter · 05/07/2018 00:04

DH was given a voucher for afternoon tea from a client at work. It was for £50, afternoon tea was £30, so we paid a tenner and went the week after as well. Lovely 🍰

BackforGood · 05/07/2018 00:08

I think - like with all gifts - most people will get something that they would love.
However, what we all should do is give a gift the recipient would love.
An 'experience' is just as good or bad as 'a bottle of champagne' that is often floated on here, or the damn smelly candles that people seem to thing everybody loves.
All presents that aren't what the recipient would really like, are a waste of money, in truth, surely?

WittyJack · 05/07/2018 00:09

I bought my dad one to play a round of golf on a Victorian golf course a few years ago (the idea being nice scenic round of golf but also you can find out how good you really are without modern equipment). DM then booked them a nice hotel as a surprise so that they could make a trip out of it.

When they got there - and it was absolutely miles away, given that my parents lived down south and the golf course was in scotland - the golf course had gone bust 8 weeks before. The voucher company was well aware of this. But hadn’t thought to tell anyone who’d bought a voucher for it in recent months Angry. Then they tried to tell DF he couldn’t have the cash back. However they didn’t know my DF and in the end they gave in and refunded him!

The poor man who’d run the golf course was really embarrassed and gave my DF a some bits he had left, like a Victorian style golf ball, but it wasn’t his fault. The experience people were terrible and it put me off ever buying another one.

pasturesgreen · 05/07/2018 06:49

These things invariably tend to have considerable hidden costs and involve a lot of hassle on the recipient's part. Yet some givers love to buy those box experiences as it's quick and easy for them and takes the thought out of gift buying.

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