Gift cards for family...

[ScrimpAndSave]

My family isn't so great about celebrating birthdays. We tend to forget each other's and I find it a little sad. Starting in 2009, I would like to make sure I send each sibling, sibling-in-law and niece/nephew a birthday card with a gift card enclosed. I am setting up a separate savings account within my ING account to do so.

My question is, what is an acceptable amount? My wealthier family always gave me $25-$50 gift cards. Honestly - this is a lot. Do you think $10-$15 would be ok to do? Or pointless because it just isn't enough?

Thanks!

[mommyof4]

Originally Posted by ScrimpAndSave

My family isn't so great about celebrating birthdays. We tend to forget each other's and I find it a little sad. Starting in 2009, I would like to make sure I send each sibling, sibling-in-law and niece/nephew a birthday card with a gift card enclosed. I am setting up a separate savings account within my ING account to do so.

My question is, what is an acceptable amount? My wealthier family always gave me $25-$50 gift cards. Honestly - this is a lot. Do you think $10-$15 would be ok to do? Or pointless because it just isn't enough?

Thanks!

I wouldn't worry about the amount- send what you can afford. Really, it truly is the thought that counts.

[ScrimpAndSave]

Yeah...I guess $15 isn't bad and we can definitely swing that. I have everyone's birthday written in my 2009 calendar...I am going to go through and see what that would amount to by the end of the year and how much I will have left over for Christmas spending. Thanks for your post!

[mommyof4]

Originally Posted by ScrimpAndSave

Yeah...I guess $15 isn't bad and we can definitely swing that. I have everyone's birthday written in my 2009 calendar...I am going to go through and see what that would amount to by the end of the year and how much I will have left over for Christmas spending. Thanks for your post!

You know what helps me to remember birthdays, too, is to send myself email notifications about a week before their birthday. I have all of my personal and school calendars set up on my google calendar, and when I enter the date, I can program the calendar to send me reminder emails, so I can send cards/buy presents in time for the birthday. It helps me keep my schools calendars ( I serve three districts) and my personal calendars organized, and it helps me not to forget deadlines, meetings, birthdays, etc.

[ScrimpAndSave]

That is a very cool idea! Thanks!

Giving them each $10 would really help us out...but I feel bad because it really isn't very substantial at all. I guess just sending $10 cash to the kids in a card really isn't all that bad. We could do $10 for the kids and $20 for siblings...I dunno. I just want to be able to give everyone something but we have 21 people to give to throughout the year.

[SacredFaerie]

Honestly $10 is a great amount. You have to think that most days people give money for birthdays and I know I'd appreciate someone chipping in so I could get myself a big ticket item. Every bit counts. And it's great what you're trying to do. Family is really important.

[kork13]

First, I'll say that for friends or family who are not necessarily very close to you, $10-$20 is completely appropriate. It's enough to buy a meal out, a movie, or whatever, but it's not excessive to where they'd feel bad to accept it.

But then, why gift cards, if I may ask? I've personally always preferred cash over gift cards, because they can sometimes be kind of difficult to use... Whether it's the wrong store, or the vendor won't let you pay with two cards (GC and CC), and so on...

Just from my perspective, you typically see gift cards for $25, $40, $50, or more. Finding ones of lower value is much less common, and could more easily lead to conclusions one might want to avoid. However, if someone slips a $10 or $20 bill in a birthday card, I'm more apt to think, "oh, how thoughtful", and not worry about the value. Can't explain it, but that's honestly how I react to gift cards vs. cash. So take it for what it's worth....

In the end, however, if they typically recieve nothing from you, it's almost guaranteed that whatever (and however) you give them, it will be appreciated. You're alot better than I.... I barely can remember people's birthdays, etc., let alone actually send them a card, gift, or whatever.

[MiikeB]

IMO its all about where to gift card is to.

A $10 gift card to Bestbuy feels a lot more insignificant than say $10 to starbucks, where it should last 2 trips (maybe! ). Other places where $10 is significant include fast food places (maybe try to keep it healthy like panera bread) and gas stations/7-11.

[Ima saver]

How about sending a check instead?

[ScrimpAndSave]

I could totally send a check...is it illegal to send cash in a card? That is always what I got...

[kork13]

Originally Posted by ScrimpAndSave

I could totally send a check...is it illegal to send cash in a card? That is always what I got...

I think the USPS bars sending more than $10k in cash through the mail... So if you're looking to be touching that max, you might want to look at other means....

[MiikeB]

You can send cash, but if it gets lost there is no recourse, but then again sometimes cashing a check is a hassle for $10, so I would just send a check.

[PrincessPerky]

My kids get a card from one relative with 2 dollars in it, they love it, one to save/church one to spend.

it isn't the amount for small fry, it is the thought.

for adults I would hope that it is the thought, not the amount as well, but to be safe I would go for a smidgen more than $2. Personally a handwritten note or pictures are better than a store bought card (unless it is really funny)

And I hate the hassle of checks or gift cards, though I do of course appreciate the thought.

[mom-from-missouri]

If they live close, I would skip the cash & gift card, and instead issue a coupon for "dinner at our house" or "nite of babysitting", "i will detail your car". That would exceed the $$ amount and be more valuable with memories attached. But, if they live far away, that wouldn't do.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by ScrimpAndSave

I would like to make sure I send each sibling, sibling-in-law and niece/nephew a birthday card with a gift card enclosed.

Do you typically exchange gifts with your siblings and sibling-in-laws? I ask because we don't. We only give gifts to the kids for birthdays and holidays. At Chanukah, our daughter gives her aunts and uncles a small gift but we don't. So we'd send a birthday card, but it wouldn't have anything in it.