# So I just recently heard that gift cards are crappy gifts, is this true? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 2, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574 "2011-11-02T01:09:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574/61 "2011-11-03T11:59:17Z")
I’ve spent years making it clear to people that I neither accept nor give gifts. If after all this time, they are too stupid to remember, or just think I’m kidding, I won’t hesitate to demonstrate to them. ---
**Author:** ![raskolnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e47c2d/32.png) [@raskolnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raskolnik)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574/62 "2011-11-03T13:01:38Z")
> [@Khendrask](#): > > I’ve spent years making it clear to people that I neither accept nor give gifts. > If after all this time, they are too stupid to remember, or just think I’m kidding, I won’t hesitate to demonstrate to them. I guess I’d give you a knuckle sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574/63 "2011-11-03T13:50:49Z")
> [@Khendrask](#): > > I finally got the message across to some people though, by cutting them up in front of the givers. The hell? Just because you don’t appreciate or even want a certain gift doesn’t give you a pass to be completely rude. If anyone in my life ever did that with _anything_ I gave them, not only would I get the message not to ever give them any type of gift again, but I would never speak to them again. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574/64 "2011-11-03T13:51:10Z")
I’m not a big fan of gift cards, it’s just one more thing I have to keep track of and use before it expires, etc., but I would never let the giver know that. As an adult, I understand that the proper response is “thank you, how thoughtful,” or words to that effect. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of getting gifts at all. It’s just more stuff that I have to find a place to store. I only like getting and giving gifts when it is personal and special, but I’d rather avoid any gift exchanges because it is expected of us type scenarios. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574/65 "2011-11-03T13:56:56Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Gift cards are bad gifts because usually lack of money is not what’s stopping you from spending 20-50 bucks at a store. Unless you are broke, then they are great gifts. I love gift cards specifically because they give me a guilt-free way to spend money at my favorite stores. If I received cash I’d be tempted to put it into savings or spend it on something boring like groceries. I agree that they are better for people who have tighter budgets than people who have lots of extra spending money. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574/66 "2011-11-03T14:06:50Z")
I like gift cards, mostly. I mean, when I graduated from high school, I got a $5 gift card from a local grocery store, so that wasn’t good (and it was clear they’d picked it up on the way over, too. A grocery store card might not be bad for a college-bound student, except I was still going to be commuting, and $5???) Anyway other than that I love them. Like olives says, it’s a guilt-free way of spending money. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574/67 "2011-11-03T16:39:24Z")
> [@Khendrask](#): > > I’ve spent years making it clear to people that I neither accept nor give gifts. > If after all this time, they are too stupid to remember, or just think I’m kidding, I won’t hesitate to demonstrate to them. :eek: Holy guacamole. I … I don’t even know what to say to this. \ Takes all kinds to make a world. \ - shakes head sadly \* [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-recently-heard-that-gift-cards-are-crappy-gifts-is-this-true/601574.md?page=3)