Money instead of gift

Jackster11 · 2022-12-20T14:55:12+00:00

What is your view on giving money instead of having a present to actually unwrap on Christmas Day? I have a godson who is 14 and he has an older brother who is 16 the mother has suggested that cash is better than presents how much cash should I put in a card?

Hopeyoursproutsarealreadyon · 20/12/2022 14:56

What about a voucher? Cinema? Nando's? Costa?

PrimroseYello · 20/12/2022 14:57

Whatever you would normally spend.

It's the best idea for teens, honestly- they will actually appreciate and use it. Much better than trying to guess something he would like.

Justhereforthechristmasthreads · 20/12/2022 14:58

What would you normally spend on a gift for them?

The anount you put in a card is your choice of what you feel is appropriate and affordable. There should be no expectation

PrimroseYello · 20/12/2022 14:58

(I wouldn't get a voucher unless you feel strongly about what he does with the money. Just more chance of it being wasted.)

ItWasntMyFault · 20/12/2022 14:59

I would give them cash rather than a gift card as then they can choose what to spend it on and I'd also wrap up some sweets so they have something to open.

Justhereforthechristmasthreads · 20/12/2022 14:59

I would normally give my 2 godchildren £20 each if I was doing cash but this year it has had to be £10. I have put it in a money wallet and wrapped that so it still sort of looks a little gifty

PushingAnElephantUpTheStairs · 20/12/2022 15:02

I happily give cash to others and my teen, delightedly, receives, cash as presents.

Put in an amount that you are comfortable with - how much would you usually spend on presents? Roughly that.

I'd also avoid vouchers - they're quite subjective and unless they've been specifically asked, for they might not be ideal for the individual.

DrSmoot · 20/12/2022 15:03

Teens I give money to get £20 in one of those money gift cards you get. They do Christmas ones.
DC tend to get £20 off people too.

MischiefTheChicken · 20/12/2022 15:04

ItWasntMyFault · 20/12/2022 14:59

I would give them cash rather than a gift card as then they can choose what to spend it on and I'd also wrap up some sweets so they have something to open.

Yes I do similar, usually a bar of chocolate wrapped up alongside the cash in a card/paid directly into their account. It always seems to go down well.

caringcarer · 20/12/2022 15:05

Whatever you do don't give vouchers. My child given love to shop vouchers but they are useless to him and he does not use any of the shops they can be spent in and neither do we. He has £60 vouchers just expired as could not use. He would use Amazon vouchers but for some reason he always get given these useless love to shop. We have told sender he can't use them. We have asked they stop sending them but I see he has received another £10 in a Xmas card. I would send a cheque and let them choose what to spend it on or put money directly into their bank account.

Triffid1 · 20/12/2022 15:05

Yup, just stick whatever your budget is in an envelope. If you really want to fo a gift, buy chocolate or similar for unwrapping with the remainder of.busget in cash. Teens love cash. Not.least because they can out all the money together to buy expensive items no single.family or.friend will get them.

PeekAtYou · 20/12/2022 15:08

Teens often prefer cash so they can buy stuff throughout the year. How much you give depends on how much you normally spend on a gift. My kids get a tenner from their granny which is gratefully received.

purplecorkheart · 20/12/2022 15:09

For teens and older kids I think it is fine and better than vouchers in my experience, I used to get cinema vouchers from a relative and while they were great in theory the bus fare to get there and back was probably more than the cinema ticket. The bus times meant you were hanging around for a couple of hours before the film and either had to leave before the end of the film or wait for two hours after so I rarely used those vouchers.

Money I would have preferred as I was normally saving up for something.

Justhereforthechristmasthreads · 20/12/2022 15:11

caringcarer · 20/12/2022 15:05

Whatever you do don't give vouchers. My child given love to shop vouchers but they are useless to him and he does not use any of the shops they can be spent in and neither do we. He has £60 vouchers just expired as could not use. He would use Amazon vouchers but for some reason he always get given these useless love to shop. We have told sender he can't use them. We have asked they stop sending them but I see he has received another £10 in a Xmas card. I would send a cheque and let them choose what to spend it on or put money directly into their bank account.

You used to be able to swap them on the love2shop website for ecards for other retailers @caringcarer so might be worth looking in to so he doesn't lose out

livingthegoodlife · 20/12/2022 15:16

Surely the love2shop cards could be spent? Argos sells pretty much everything. Or even Boots just on shower gel etc.

OP - Cash wise I usually go for £20.

NoelNoNoel · 20/12/2022 15:17

Teens love money, it’s secretly what they all want. Maybe wrap up a selection box too.

namechange3394 · 20/12/2022 15:23

Surely you could find something to buy with love2shop vouchers @caringcarer ?! Do you never buy anything that boots, wilko, argos or iceland sell?

ZeViteVitchofCwismas · 20/12/2022 15:54

Definitely money!
I don't know why people don't like to give it.
My 10 year old love's money.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 20/12/2022 15:56

Just give what you either normally spend or can afford, whichever is lower.

TakingControl2023 · 20/12/2022 15:58

caringcarer · 20/12/2022 15:05

Whatever you do don't give vouchers. My child given love to shop vouchers but they are useless to him and he does not use any of the shops they can be spent in and neither do we. He has £60 vouchers just expired as could not use. He would use Amazon vouchers but for some reason he always get given these useless love to shop. We have told sender he can't use them. We have asked they stop sending them but I see he has received another £10 in a Xmas card. I would send a cheque and let them choose what to spend it on or put money directly into their bank account.

If there's genuinely nothing he'd use them for, could you buy them off him to use for shopping and then he has the cash to spend anywhere? We used to do this sometimes.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 20/12/2022 16:01

Definitely agree with money for teenagers, unless you have been asked to buy something specific. As PP has said, vouchers can be a waste unless you know exactly where they shop/what they are into.
Also agree with just giving whatever you'd normally spend. Although I usually end up giving more money than I'd have spent on a gift as tend to buy gifts when on offer.

Anewuser · 20/12/2022 16:05

Definitely cash. I put it in a box, then wrap up the box so it looks like a present. Don’t do vouchers. They never get spent but the recipient feels the pressure of having to buy something.

yoshiblue · 20/12/2022 16:58

Agree re: money. They are likely to want to pool any money they get to buy a more expensive sport brand item. I would give £10 or £20 dependent on how close you are to them/what your finances are like.

Andsoforth · 20/12/2022 17:00

Cash is lovely for teens - gives them a bit of independent spending power.

Survey99 · 20/12/2022 18:06

TakingControl2023 · 20/12/2022 15:58

If there's genuinely nothing he'd use them for, could you buy them off him to use for shopping and then he has the cash to spend anywhere? We used to do this sometimes.

Show quote history

My child given love to shop vouchers but they are useless to him and he does not use any of the shops they can be spent in and neither do we.

The poster says they don't use any of the shops either, we have had loads of vouchers over the years expiring too. ds would get a £10 love to shop, £10 for JD sport etc and at every retailer they would need to put money to it to buy something decent. Most can't even be used online! The voucher suppliers know this too, it is all a marketing ploy, the receivers either need to add money to them or they never get around to going into town to use them.

It isn't worth a trip (bus fare or parking) into town just to visit Boots/Argos with a £10 gift card! If it isn't going to be a physical gift, vouchers are best avoided and give cash instead.