Comments on: Reader question: Will I look cheap with this gift? http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/ Personal finance, commentary, and spending less the easy way Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:24:44 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sheila http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/comment-page-1/#comment-144977 Sheila Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:09:37 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/#comment-144977 It's only okay as a gift if it's either a little extra gift or as something you're giving someone just for fun. In other words, it's fair to value it at the amount you paid for it, and you should explain what it is and how it works. They should know it's a "little something." Another possibility to make it work as a gift is to use it to take out the person you're giving a gift to. Lots and lots of people know what a Restaurant.com certificate is and they KNOW it isn't the same as a gift certificate. It’s only okay as a gift if it’s either a little extra gift or as something you’re giving someone just for fun. In other words, it’s fair to value it at the amount you paid for it, and you should explain what it is and how it works. They should know it’s a “little something.” Another possibility to make it work as a gift is to use it to take out the person you’re giving a gift to. Lots and lots of people know what a Restaurant.com certificate is and they KNOW it isn’t the same as a gift certificate.

]]> By: Cheapo http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/comment-page-1/#comment-144831 Cheapo Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:13:26 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/#comment-144831 Personally I would not give these coupons out as a gift, but rather use it for personal use or for when going out with family/friends. Like you mentioned, the coupons have certain restrictions. For example, I went to a local Thai restaurant and was looking forward to using my Restaurant.com coupon. I planned the visit around the coupon in a sense that I went to the restaurant during their dinner time, rather than lunch. I only had to purchase $15 in food in order to use the $10 coupon, which was totally fine since the dinner included just my girlfriend and I. By the way she is totally fine with me using coupons, lol. The weird thing is that when it came time to pay the bill, I showed the waiter my coupon, and he went to print me a new bill. The discount was applied to the bill, but the restaurant automatically added an 18% gratuity. This seemed odd, but I didn't want to fight it. On the other hand if you do not use the coupon, the restaurant will not automatically add the gratuity. In the end I can't complain, since I hardly paid anything near $10 for the coupon and this restaurant probably has the best Thai food around my area. Personally I would not give these coupons out as a gift, but rather use it for personal use or for when going out with family/friends. Like you mentioned, the coupons have certain restrictions. For example, I went to a local Thai restaurant and was looking forward to using my Restaurant.com coupon. I planned the visit around the coupon in a sense that I went to the restaurant during their dinner time, rather than lunch. I only had to purchase $15 in food in order to use the $10 coupon, which was totally fine since the dinner included just my girlfriend and I. By the way she is totally fine with me using coupons, lol. The weird thing is that when it came time to pay the bill, I showed the waiter my coupon, and he went to print me a new bill. The discount was applied to the bill, but the restaurant automatically added an 18% gratuity. This seemed odd, but I didn’t want to fight it. On the other hand if you do not use the coupon, the restaurant will not automatically add the gratuity. In the end I can’t complain, since I hardly paid anything near $10 for the coupon and this restaurant probably has the best Thai food around my area.

]]> By: Mike http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/comment-page-1/#comment-144553 Mike Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:52:54 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/#comment-144553 A friend gave me a $50 Restaurant.com gift certificate for my birthday. I was very excited, until I learned that I could not really redeed it anywhere. I don't mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I was never able to find a restaurant that would take the coupon without tons of restrictions (such as ordering and paying for appetizers or such). In the end, I finally gave up frustrated and threw it up. I never told my friend. A friend gave me a $50 Restaurant.com gift certificate for my birthday. I was very excited, until I learned that I could not really redeed it anywhere.

I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I was never able to find a restaurant that would take the coupon without tons of restrictions (such as ordering and paying for appetizers or such). In the end, I finally gave up frustrated and threw it up. I never told my friend.

]]> By: troy http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/comment-page-1/#comment-144542 troy Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:16:55 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2008/07/18/reader-question-will-i-look-cheap-with-this-gift/#comment-144542 I've got some advice for the reader: don't be so cheap! If you want to give someone a nice gift then give them a nice gift. Don't try to trick them into thinking you spent a lot of money when you didn't. mbhunter: I like your suggestion of buying a bunch of them. I’ve got some advice for the reader: don’t be so cheap! If you want to give someone a nice gift then give them a nice gift. Don’t try to trick them into thinking you spent a lot of money when you didn’t.

mbhunter: I like your suggestion of buying a bunch of them.

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