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Vouchers or cash?

debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
in The potting shed
After a recent discussion with my son and bearing in mind the season I just wondered what people thought of vouchers as opposed to cold hard cash? Acceptable? Thoughtful? A waste of money? Just a bit of fun! 

Vouchers or cash? 24 votes

I prefer cash every time
37%
fidgetbonesPerkiB3madpenguinWonkyWombleKiliSkandiBig Blue SkyBiglad 9 votes
Give me a voucher please
16%
AuntiemandSinging GardenergjautosChivetalking 4 votes
Either is fine
37%
Lizzie27DovefromaboveTopbirdjosusa47SuesynMaddiJennyJLilyandPoppy.Tack 9 votes
No, I want a present please!
8%
EustaceTheVanguard 2 votes
«134

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Either is fine
    I’m happy to accept either ... MIL often gets us  those One4all vouchers you can buy from the Post Office and spend almost anywhere. I’ve treated myself to some lovely things with those, including a gorgeous leather bag in the sale at TKMaxx ... it cost about £25 in vouchers in the new year sale last year ... marked down from £199.95 ... Id never have bought it had I not had the voucher ... wouldn’t even have gone looking ...  so a double bargain 🎁 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ChivetalkingChivetalking Posts: 2,296
    Give me a voucher please
    Hi Debs Given the choice I would prefer a voucher, as I would be less inclined to spend cash on something that was just for me. 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I prefer cash every time
    Companies go out of business sometimes and you're left with worthless vouchers. Cash is safer but I get Ctkng point about the money getting swallowed up and used for something else
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Both  :)
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Cash and vouchers for presents are like lasagne at a dinner party - completely acceptable but devoid of imagination.
    Rutland, England
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I prefer cash every time
    Having bought vouchers for someone one xmas, only to find the company went into administration on Jan 1st, I would never buy vouchers again.  T'other half used to get vouchers from an aunt at xmas, only to stuff them in a drawer and find them out of date.
    We have stopped doing presents for adults.Too much stress buying tat for other people to take to the charity shop.  We only do presents for children who have some idea of what they want. I am happy to pay more for something they really really want.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Either is fine
    A voucher is fine so long as it's for a shop where I might treat myself such as John Lewis. A Boots voucher is more likely to be spent on boring stuff like deodorant and shower gel🥱. Certainly wouldn't get Debenhams ones as they might not still be around in 2 months time! 

    On the whole I think cash is the better option but perhaps wrapped around something like a really nice bar of chocolate or soap.

    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,351
    I prefer nothing. No presents. Just being together. Maybe with the exception of something small from my husband.
    It irritates our families. But we travel with small backpacks only (whatever is free with Ryanair these days), we have a small house and we have everything we need.
    I used to enjoy getting cash when I was a poor student but at the moment, we have much more money than our families which makes getting cash from them weird. And it is in two different currencies so we usually just keep it for travelling and don't buy anything.
    What I absolutely hate is having to pick my own present. And typically, both families want me to pick something for both me and my husband or at least give them some ideas.
  • steveTusteveTu Posts: 3,219
    Same as me - give me people over pressies all day long. I hate opening presents, but enjoy buying them. My wife and I used to just exchange slippers at Christmas - that was it.

    As for the poll, I never understood the point of vouchers - they restrict where and what you can buy and also have a shelf life. That always struck me as odd - a bit like the Bank of England issuing money that you had to spend within 6 months or whatever.

    UK - South Coast Retirement Campus (East)
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    The merit of a voucher is that, so long as is from a shop appropriate to the recipient, it at least shows you have put a minor bit of effort into the giving. There is usually an implied understanding that it should be spent on something frivolous or a touch extravagant.

    With money it simply goes in the purse or wallet, indistinguishable from any other note in there, and goes on life’s mundane necessities - compost, petrol, Fairy Liquid. If I were to spend it on something like a £20 box of chocolates it would feel like I was spending my own money and not the gifted note.
    Rutland, England
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