Poll: Is giving Cash as a gift rude?

[Nouw]

It's part of my culture and other cultures I know of, at certain times you're supposed to give money. It's not rude at all, I'd rather have money than a gift I'll never use. I hate doing fake smiles >.>

It's a way of saying 'Get what you want.' Doesn't hurt right?

 

[Xojins]

I don't think it is, especially when money is what they want (like me, I can almost never think of an actual gift, so I just ask for money for when I actually do think of something I want).

 

[KarumaK]

Wrong?...

It's preferred

 

[Soxafloppin]

No way, my gifts consisted of money, Think of the possibilities!

 

[Abengoshis]

No, in fact I'd prefer to get money, at least you can spend it on something you want or save it. Although when you get it all in £2 coins its entirely different. xD

 

[Danpascooch]

No, it's better to give a meaningful item as a gift (not a mushy scrapbook or shit like that, I'm talking about something that says "I know your interests, and you'll use this") For example, I've recently started using an N64 emulator (because my N64 no longer works, I own all of the games I download, so it's not piracy) and my brother got me an adapter that allows me to plug an N64 controller into a USB slot. That is a thoughtful gift.

I wouldn't say that cash is rude, I would say that getting someone a thoughtful gift is going the extra distance.

 

[zz_]

Not at all, it's generally the only thing I ever ask for come christmas/birthdays.

 

[Knusper]

Anyone in the immediate family who gives money, I think that could be considered rude, as they are people who are as close to you as possible (in most cases) and so you expect them to know what you like to do and what you might like.

Aunts and uncles (and possibly grandparents) on the other hand, I think it would be reasonable for them to give money, unless you asked for a load of reasonably-priced stuff on your wish list and they couldn't be bothered to ask what was on it, and just wrote you a cheque, instead - I think that might be a bit thoughtless, but then again, I guess most of us can barely come up with anything to ask from our parents or siblings or friends, let alone our extended families and so it really is only to be expected that they give us money, and who are we to condemn it when we didn't even know what we would like either?

 

[Sikachu]

This is something about where I live. No matter how well you know a person, you are always supposed to get them something that you picked out for them. While this is a nice gesture in showing how well you know some one, it has gotten to the point where giving cash, or even multi-store gift cards, is considered rude and somewhat trashy. I was wondering if this is something that occurs everywhere, or unique to my area.

Personally, I find nothing wrong with it. I figure if I don't know what somebody wants, they'd prefer card with a twenty inside of it to a dancing stuffed bear or whatever I picked out.

There's a tension, because cash is obviously the best present (you can get what you want) but on the other hand it shows a complete lack of thought or interest in the gift. It depends on the extent to which you agree that it's the thought that counts. Generally speaking, I think that gift-giving out of obligation is wrong and that nothing proves that it's out of obligation more than giving cash.

 

[Omega Pirate]

I actually prefer cash, it eliminates the problem of crappy presents which you will either throw away or return to the store if the person was nice enough to include the receipt.

 

[Kris015]

Not in my opinion. I'd rather get a present than cash though

 

[interspark]

id have thought that the fact that you know the person would mean that you SHOULD get them something you know they'll like. as they say "it's the thought that counts", there's no thought in giving someone money, anyone can do it, it takes a good friend or relative to know someone well enough to pick the present out.

i guess what im saying is (and i hope i dont sound too cheesey), it isnt about the value or worth of the present in question, its about the love that is implied by the fact that the giver took the time to select, buy and wrap it

 

[Jedoro]

Cash gets what someone wants or needs, lets them decide how exactly to use the gift you've given them. I don't consider it rude at all. Hell, I PayPal'd money to a good friend as a Christmas present.

 

[Keepitclean]

I don't find it rude, but then I usually directly ask for money because I don't even know what I want for Christmas/Birthdays myself, so god forbid anyone else buying something for me, otherwise it becomes an incessant and incredibly annoying pattern of "What do you want?" "I don't know." "You must want something." "I don't know!" ad nauseum.

This. I either don't know what I want or what I want is too expensive to expect one person to buy it for me.

 

[jelock]

I dont see a problem with getting cash. It just means that people realise I would prefer to go out and buy stuff myself (esp at Christmas, can go out to the sales and get more!)

But I would say at least get a voucher / gift card from a store that they would enjoy. My parents usually give me vouchers from places like HMV or play.com so I can go out and buy games/DVDs - they wouldnt know what ones to buy me. Or I gave my cousins kid this year an itunes voucher as he likes buying apps. Vouchers arent impersonal or unthoughtful if bought appropriately.

 

[jboking]

Here's the thing... I wouldn't call it rude, because you're still giving them something, but it is 100% thoughtless. How long did it take you to come up with the idea of giving them money. all of 5 seconds. The most time you are going to spend is figuring out how much to give them, and if you know they're a gamer, just give the around $60. No need to give more than that.

It shows you didn't care to come up with something, but it's not really rude. You still gave them something of worth.

 

[Penguinness]

Money is fine, it's the vouchers and gift cards that are annoying and limit you to buying something in HMV.. havn't gotten something like that in years though thankfully.

On a related note my birthday is just a few days before christmas, and my girlfriends parents and grandparents (because they live in the same house) always buy me gifts; which just sort of happened and it's continued. I was pretty shocked to find that I had received £25 from her grandparents in a card for my birthday, it's a pretty high amount. Then for christmas I opened up the present from them to find a 'Where's Wally?' book, which I was pleased enough with as a present; and discovered another £25 drop out from it!

The thing with money is you know exactly how much they've given you and you feel bad if (like I mentioned above) you buy them something that's £15 for a christmas gift and you receive £50!

 

[Mimssy]

I'd be uncomfortable if my friends gave me cash, but I prefer if aunts and uncles give me cash (so I have rent money...). I just want friends to give me something small and silly. My family realizes that I actually need more than a DVD. Yay socks and cash!

 

[Shock and Awe]

Hell no, I love getting cash!

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

its a safe good present imo, you dont have to worry about getting something they already have or maybe someone else is already giving them, and also (if your like me) i hardly spend money on anything besides random food and computer parts, in which most of my family has zero idea what they are doing when it comes to that so, in turn, giving me cash allows me the maximum amount of happiness in the long run because i didn't need anything else( i really dont, i survive on impulse purchases because i know what i want when i see it and i dont buy tacky useless things).

gifts from the heart, are awesome, they are from the heart. but for usefulness and overall joy? cash is usually best bet.