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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To give £5 Costa voucher

86 replies

Sprogonthetyne · 09/12/2021 10:55

Dose anyone know if that would actually buy anything? Or would it mean the recipient having to pay the rest, so not bother using it?

It's to go in cards for DS's teacher/TA's, last year I did £10 gift cards, but he has 4 adults working with him at different times this year (+2 more in DD's nursery) and really I don't have £60 for teacher gifts.

Would a £5 gift card be appreciated, or should I just buy boxes of chocolate / biscuits.

OP posts:
luverlybubberly · 09/12/2021 10:56

A Costa coffee is less than a fiver.

Bigoldhag · 09/12/2021 10:58

Absolutely would be appreciated - it’ll get them a coffee and a cake!

billyt · 09/12/2021 11:12

As long as a Costa is convenient. I know there are a lot of Costas around but not everywhere has one that wouldn't entail a trip. Otherwise it's wasted.

I received a voucher years ago. The nearest place I could use it was 40 miles away. Wasn't worth the trip.

Sprogonthetyne · 09/12/2021 11:25

@billyt

As long as a Costa is convenient. I know there are a lot of Costas around but not everywhere has one that wouldn't entail a trip. Otherwise it's wasted.

I received a voucher years ago. The nearest place I could use it was 40 miles away. Wasn't worth the trip.

I don't know where they live, but there is one within 5 minutes of the school.
OP posts:
santasmuma · 09/12/2021 11:31

@Bigoldhag

Absolutely would be appreciated - it’ll get them a coffee and a cake!

At a push. Maybe a tea and a cake.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 09/12/2021 11:33

Yes it's fine. It would get them two coffees or a coffee and a snack.

I always get these. We have pusher independent coffee shops but I've no way of knowing if these are accessible to the staff so I go Costa as there one on every street round here

ButtonSister · 09/12/2021 11:34

Is Costa sponsoring MN these days? I've seen on several threads now the suggestion of a Costa voucher as a gift - and it's always Costa, never any other coffee shop. Confused

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 09/12/2021 11:34

It's a brew and a cake - I'd love it. We are in a Costa-rich area though. I'd check there's one near to school.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 09/12/2021 11:34

Or would it mean the recipient having to pay the rest, so not bother using it?

If I have a voucher for somewhere and the thing I want is more, I just pay the difference. I wouldn't think "this doesnt cover it so I'll pay in full myself"

SaltedCaramelHC · 09/12/2021 11:38

I'd love it.

luverlybubberly · 09/12/2021 11:42

@ButtonSister

Is Costa sponsoring MN these days? I've seen on several threads now the suggestion of a Costa voucher as a gift - and it's always Costa, never any other coffee shop. Confused
Unlike Starbucks, I think that there's been no hint that they pay an unfair amount of UK tax. I know that tax avoidance and tax evasion are not the same.
shumway · 09/12/2021 11:45

I'd love it too.

Sprogonthetyne · 09/12/2021 12:04

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Or would it mean the recipient having to pay the rest, so not bother using it?

If I have a voucher for somewhere and the thing I want is more, I just pay the difference. I wouldn't think "this doesnt cover it so I'll pay in full myself"

I'm thinking more If they otherwise wouldn't have gone, then if it doesn't cover the cost they'll be left out of pocket, so might decide not to bother at all.

I may be overthinking it, I haven't been to Costa in years, so have no idea what coffee/cake costs.

OP posts:
santasmuma · 09/12/2021 12:12

I haven't been to Costa in years, so have no idea what coffee/cake costs.

You wouldn't get a coffee and a muffin for a fiver. You would get a tea and a muffin or a filter coffee and a millionaire shortbread but you would have to choose really carefully to get a coffee and a cake for £5. Most coffee are £3+ and cakes over £2.

Djmaggie · 09/12/2021 12:30

Are schools still accepting teacher gifts this year? My Sons school is not even allowing the exchange of Christmas cards again due to covid.

junebirthdaygirl · 09/12/2021 12:32

If its near the school it's a lively idea as a lot of eschews fall out the door ready for a coffee so they will appreciate it. Although l would rather a 5 voucher for a locally owned cafe .

WildStallyn · 09/12/2021 12:43

We have 5 teachers/TAs to buy for and don't know any of their tastes/interests particularly so rather than a mug, chocs etc which they probably get loads of, we went for £5 Costa vouchers. There are 2 within 10 mins walk of the school and surely just about everyone likes something from Costa so I think they're more likely to be used than pretty much any other £5 gift I could think of. If they do need to top it up to cover the cost of a drink and snack I shouldn't think it's likely to be more than £1 or so.

Pegasussnail · 09/12/2021 12:45

I think its a perfect gift and a very kind gesture.

thelittlestrhino · 09/12/2021 12:47

A costa voucher is a lovely thought, but honestly, I don't know a teacher who wouldn't rather have a card with a handwritten message and have you spend the money on yourself/your children.

I'm at a new school this year and really hoping it's not a 'thing' to give presents here (area of deprivation so there isn't a lot of spare money for a lot of our families). I was once at a 'competitive gifting' school and I felt so awkward.

itwasntaparty · 09/12/2021 12:50

@Bigoldhag

Absolutely would be appreciated - it’ll get them a coffee and a cake!
No it won't!
TheKeatingFive · 09/12/2021 12:53

That's a great present

TheKeatingFive · 09/12/2021 12:55

If she has to add 40p or whatever to get her cake of choice, then that's hardly a big deal in my eyes.

KatherineofGaunt · 09/12/2021 12:58

I would love it!

SaltedCaramelHC · 09/12/2021 13:00

It would be pretty close - if they had to add something, it might be in the order of 20p or whatever - not likely enough to put them off using it if they wanted to.

E.g. ,medium coffee might be £3.10; slices and muffins range between £1.75-£2.25 (just looked on the app - might be different in some locations). Or a large fancy festive coffee, which would be a treat in itself, for less than £5

Obviously if they want fancier/bigger coffees, or larger slices of cakes, then they'd have to add a bit more, but it's certainly not the case that you couldn't get anything nice if you didn't want to add money. You could choose carefully and get perfectly lovely little treat for under £5, or choose less carefully and add 10-50p, or just put the £5 towards a much larger order.

If there are Costas around, great; if not, Starbucks or Nero or any independent cafe nearby is good. I find that even if I usually go to an independent cafe, the other cards are still useful when I'm in train stations or travelling somewhere, as you can very often find one of those, so it's always useful somewhere.

But a handwritten card etc is lovely, and certainly if someone is finding things hard, then I would absolutely not want them to feel pressured into giving a gift when they have much better uses of the money - on the other hand, if they do want to give something, and would be spending that £5 on something for me regardless, then a Costa voucher is a very good use of that amount of money, for me. It will get used, not need to be put somewhere, and I'll enjoy it. But teachers truly don't need or expect gifts, much as they are appreciated if they arrive, so please don't feel that it's something you ought to do.

RaininSummer · 09/12/2021 13:02

I would find that an odd present and probably never use it as I don't go in coffee shops unless away from home for some reason. I am possibly the minority though.

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