To think a £10 gift card is pointless

[AcornConker]

I’ve been given a £10 gift card for my birthday by my sibling. It’s a bit upsetting as I took her on a day out to York for her birthday and spent quite a bit treating her but she’s not got much money so I can’t expect much.

But I’m finding it impossible to use. It’s a One4All gift card and none of the online retailers that accept it interest me. I live rurally and to go into a city or town centre where I could use it would cost me a lot in public transport costs. If it was £20+ it may have been worth it but £10 seems a comical amount and I almost wish she hadn’t bothered. It’s become a chore and a bit of an eyesore sat on my coffee table.

I’ve also recently come into financial difficulty myself and the pressure to use the gift card before it expires is putting pressure on me as to buy anything these days for £10 is impossible and I’ll have to put in my own money as well which I can’t do. I can’t even buy a bloody book with it.

AIBU to think that voucher gifts for an adult should be £20 minimum. If giving less then just give cash! Also for the value of £10 I’d have much rather have had a nice bath bomb or something like that, I feel I’ve been given a chore instead

And add the expiry date or issues with the actual card to that.

Next time you are buying something from a shop that accepts them, just ask the staff member to take £10 off the card. You have to do the exact amount (or less) otherwise it declined automatically. Loads of places take it; M&S, Argos, John Lewis, the Range etc. I view it as an opportunity to justify something I might not otherwise. Get some nice food from M&S.

None of the 100 + online retailers interest you?

I hate to be THAT poster on Mumsnet but I bloody wish I’d even get a birthday card from my sister. She’s bloody loaded and could afford a lovely gift, but for various reasons I haven’t personally heard from her directly in 7 years. I’d love a £10 gift card for her. I really would. I’d buy a book, a coffee, some chocs, whatever. But it would mean something. Pull yourself together and realise she’s done what she can for you. Be grateful she’s there and she’s trying.

To be honest I agree with you. I used to give gift vouchers too but the reality is cash is so much better. If you’re going to give someone the option of choosing their own gift it may as well be free from any restrictions.

I also hate waste so the idea that I’ve been given something I’ll never use drives me insane. I’d sooner not have a gift at all than think of the person wasting their money.

All of the people suggesting online retailers have clearly never had one of these cards. They don't work like a normal gift card. They work like a preloaded debit card. So you can't add to them if you are buying online. So the OP would need to find something that costs less than £10 including delivery to use the card online. They are an absolute pain to use. My daughter was given one and we used it in our local Boots. We tried to buy Boots vouchers with it and they didn't allow us to do that so we just spent it on random things to use it. Instore you can top up as you can use more than one card to pay per transaction but online you can't. They also decrease in value if you don't use them within a certain time. I'd never buy one of them for anyone. I'd prefer a regular gift card for one shop.

You sound very ungrateful.

You know what OP, I get what you mean. It’s such a faff to use these vouchers and I always end up spending more than the voucher is worth to get what I actually want. I try so hard to select meaningful and thoughtful gifts for people so I don’t really understand the rationale for buying a voucher as a gift unless it’s been requested or you don’t know the person very well at all. Fine to vent on here just paste on a smile and be tremendously grateful to the giver!

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head here. It’s not about being ungrateful as such but when your short of money and you have to question every £ you spend it can feel really upsetting to get a gift you can’t use or will cost you money to use.

You’re being dramatic regarding pressure. Google says 18 months is acceptable. If you’ve just got it (as you allude) then you’ve got time to not just buy anything.

Comical amount? Urgh.

Just spend it in M&S on a pair of knickers or something food from the food hall?

I think people are being a bit harsh. Gift cards can be a really rubbish present as they can be tricky to use. When you don’t have a lot of money yourself (and it doesn’t sound like the OP has lots of money) it can feel like a waste.

just recently my student dd was given a voucher by a relative. Nice thought but the shop in question is quite expensive and realistically to buy anything useful she will need to top it up so the voucher may go unused. Such a waste as if she had received money instead, it would have been really useful.

This is bizarre -If you have nothing and get a £10 gift, you find a way to use it or you don't use it. The idea that it's 'become a chore' is ridiculous. Just throw it in the bin if it's really that useless. You're no worse off.

The funds on these gift cards don't have an expiry date (the card will need replacing after 18 months though but this is free). If you don't use them within 18 months they deduct 90p per month. Unless she is completely housebound, she's likely to be passing a shop on the (very extensive) list within the next year and a half. It's free money, spend it or don't.

An eyesore 😭

There are very few retailers you can’t use one4all with

Well if you're really lucky, you'll go to spend it and find that someone already has!

We were sent one, turns out it had been spent a day or two before it arrived at our house for a birthday.

Thoughts and prayers to you and your coffee table during this most difficult time.

Has anyone tried using one of those cards??? What a joke. See here from their website:

When making an online purchase, make sure the total cost of your basket does not exceed the value of the gift card, as most online stores will not accept multiple payment methods when purchasing.

@AcornConker I usually just pass those type of gift vouchers onto my teenage kids. They’ll always find something to spend them on.

The card is a bit ugly! Too busy and too colourful. It’s just a tacky plastic rectangle.

Lol such a troll post.

“If you have nothing and get a £10 gift, you find a way to use it or you don’t use it.. Just throw it in the bin…”

I am sorry you had to experience having nothing.

An eyesore on your coffee table 😂

You can save One4all to your phone like a credit card.