4 ms·

If you want to use an app to find a gift for someone... just give them cash.

by jotm 4y ago

cvanvlack 4y ago
Yeah, I got sick of trading cash back and forth with people. It started to seem pointless. Plus, I have young kids who love birthdays/Christmas and the excitement of watching them watch someone else open a gift is WAY less if it's just an envelope with cash or a gift card! Lol
- netsharc 4y ago
  You should just start a swapping round of a certificate of ownership (or several of them) of a rai stone: https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/02/15/131934618/the-island-of-stone-money?t=1650634291865 https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/02/15/131934618/the-...
  - cvanvlack 4y ago
    Oh man, this reminded me of something super retro about passing around the same gift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9qSKZuvC4&t=1928s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9qSKZuvC4&t=1928s
mikepurvis 4y ago
There are a lot of people for whom gift receiving is a love language and cash or cash equivalents do not meet that need (either romantically or in a close-friends relationship).
IG_Semmelweiss 4y ago
I think gift giving is a wonderful time to show someone you appreciate them. I think you can show your appreciation to someone better when its evident that you spent valuable time to pick something to gift the recipient. This may be particularly hard to gift women, but it can be done. You dont need to gift GCs to women when clothes will do. Just keep the gift receipt and include it just in case. You will get wonderful smiles when she says "I'm going to wear the X you got me today" I follow my own advice and havent bought one in forever. At least a decade. This has caused me to be late with at least 1 gift, because sometimes bdays creep on you at the absolutely worst time and life happens...so weight that too. Sometimes a crutch may be necessary
- InCityDreams 4y ago
  >....you spent valuable time to pick something to gift the recipient. This may be particularly hard to gift women, but it can be done. Ahhh, 'gifting people'. Very American-speak.
  - cvanvlack 4y ago
    Oooohhh, I am super curious by what you mean by this. How is gifting culture different outside of North America?
    - IG_Semmelweiss 4y ago
      Well sorry that was not the intent. As a measure of personal growth, i've decided to spend more time for the people I love. Some context - We make decent money, but we are distinctly middle-upper class by the standards of the avg SF/Singa/London/Dubai/NYC/Bern household. However, I've noticed (accidentally) that immediate family & friends think of us as wealthy. The word rich has been thrown around by little kids. The most valuable resource I have now, is time. So I decided that's what I would spend for the people in my life. RE: culture... I've been personally criticized for following the rule steadfastly. Usually this is from people that value perception by others (in particularly, gifting early or on time), vs the meaning of gifting itself. I'm not sure what is right, but there are some people out there that feel that a bday gift that is a day late is a huge insult, even if its a wonderful, well-thought out gift. Not cultural, just personality trait.
      - cvanvlack 4y ago
        Super interesting. My family are farmers. I got a PhD in physics, switched to startups and have one successful exit. However family is still a BIG value for me. I think a lot about the opportunity cost of time and I spent a lot of holidays trying to be thoughtful in the search of a good gift. A lot of my family realizes the fortunate position we are in. So I have thought a lot about how to share generously, but also authentically, with a keen eye on the fact that time is our only non-renewable resource. This is why I have focused on gifts as a search/efficiency problem so I can actually spend real time with the people in my life. Thanks so much for sharing.
slhomme 4y ago
I love this article [1] about the effectiveness of gifts. Turns out, most of the time you're better off gifting cash. It's more aligned with what the priorities of the gift receivers: - Usefulness (can I do something with it?) - Versatility (can I do a variety of things with it?) - Quality (is it well made/going to last?) - Stuff they've asked for (did I actually say I want this?) I've been gifting cash for a little while now, and the reaction has almost always been better / more fun than with a more traditional gift. I do so this with an extra fun (retro) package though [2] which does add to the fun. (disclaimer, I own this website). [1] https://www.willpatrick.co.uk/articles/how-to-buy-gifts-that-people-actually-want https://www.willpatrick.co.uk/articles/how-to-buy-gifts-that... [2] https://cashbox.gift https://cashbox.gift

If you want to use an app to find a gift for someone... just give them cash.

by jotm 4y ago

If you want to use an app to find a gift for someone... just give them cash.

Yeah, I got sick of trading cash back and forth with people. It started to seem pointless. Plus, I have young kids who love birthdays/Christmas and the excitement of watching them watch someone else open a gift is WAY less if it's just an envelope with cash or a gift card! Lol

netsharc 4y ago
You should just start a swapping round of a certificate of ownership (or several of them) of a rai stone: https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/02/15/131934618/the-island-of-stone-money?t=1650634291865 https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/02/15/131934618/the-...
- cvanvlack 4y ago
  Oh man, this reminded me of something super retro about passing around the same gift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9qSKZuvC4&t=1928s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9qSKZuvC4&t=1928s

mikepurvis 4y ago

There are a lot of people for whom gift receiving is a love language and cash or cash equivalents do not meet that need (either romantically or in a close-friends relationship).

IG_Semmelweiss 4y ago

I think gift giving is a wonderful time to show someone you appreciate them. I think you can show your appreciation to someone better when its evident that you spent valuable time to pick something to gift the recipient. This may be particularly hard to gift women, but it can be done. You dont need to gift GCs to women when clothes will do. Just keep the gift receipt and include it just in case. You will get wonderful smiles when she says "I'm going to wear the X you got me today" I follow my own advice and havent bought one in forever. At least a decade. This has caused me to be late with at least 1 gift, because sometimes bdays creep on you at the absolutely worst time and life happens...so weight that too. Sometimes a crutch may be necessary

InCityDreams 4y ago
>....you spent valuable time to pick something to gift the recipient. This may be particularly hard to gift women, but it can be done. Ahhh, 'gifting people'. Very American-speak.
- cvanvlack 4y ago
  Oooohhh, I am super curious by what you mean by this. How is gifting culture different outside of North America?
  - IG_Semmelweiss 4y ago
    Well sorry that was not the intent. As a measure of personal growth, i've decided to spend more time for the people I love. Some context - We make decent money, but we are distinctly middle-upper class by the standards of the avg SF/Singa/London/Dubai/NYC/Bern household. However, I've noticed (accidentally) that immediate family & friends think of us as wealthy. The word rich has been thrown around by little kids. The most valuable resource I have now, is time. So I decided that's what I would spend for the people in my life. RE: culture... I've been personally criticized for following the rule steadfastly. Usually this is from people that value perception by others (in particularly, gifting early or on time), vs the meaning of gifting itself. I'm not sure what is right, but there are some people out there that feel that a bday gift that is a day late is a huge insult, even if its a wonderful, well-thought out gift. Not cultural, just personality trait.
    - cvanvlack 4y ago
      Super interesting. My family are farmers. I got a PhD in physics, switched to startups and have one successful exit. However family is still a BIG value for me. I think a lot about the opportunity cost of time and I spent a lot of holidays trying to be thoughtful in the search of a good gift. A lot of my family realizes the fortunate position we are in. So I have thought a lot about how to share generously, but also authentically, with a keen eye on the fact that time is our only non-renewable resource. This is why I have focused on gifts as a search/efficiency problem so I can actually spend real time with the people in my life. Thanks so much for sharing.

slhomme 4y ago

I love this article [1] about the effectiveness of gifts. Turns out, most of the time you're better off gifting cash. It's more aligned with what the priorities of the gift receivers: - Usefulness (can I do something with it?) - Versatility (can I do a variety of things with it?) - Quality (is it well made/going to last?) - Stuff they've asked for (did I actually say I want this?) I've been gifting cash for a little while now, and the reaction has almost always been better / more fun than with a more traditional gift. I do so this with an extra fun (retro) package though [2] which does add to the fun. (disclaimer, I own this website). [1] https://www.willpatrick.co.uk/articles/how-to-buy-gifts-that-people-actually-want https://www.willpatrick.co.uk/articles/how-to-buy-gifts-that... [2] https://cashbox.gift https://cashbox.gift