How can you tell the people in your life to just give you money so you can do stuff to your Porsche? Isn't that in bad taste? It's all I really want. I'd rather have $5 to put into the 914 than a $50 gift. I'm lucky enough to have more "stuff" than I need. I have a special account that is only used to fix and upgrade the Porsche. I would like to see this account grow a little faster.

I started thinking with this philosophy right after I got married. We registered for a bunch of stuff and got a lot of it. The best gift we got was when people gave us cash. We could use it to buy anything we wanted. We could use it to supplement a larger purchase, help pay off the extravagant honeymoon we took, go out to dinner or save it for a house purchase. Since then I always give cash at weddings, house warming's, and birthdays. For Christmas and birthdays my teenage brothers always get cash. People think giving cash is a cop out but giving gift certificates is fine. I just don't like forcing people to go to a particular place to get something.

Before you all say I should ask for a specific car part, don't. You all know that you have to wait for the deals. For instance if someone buys me a 19mm MC, maybe I should have gotten in a group buy for something on the board that I would have been able to do had they given me cash instead. What do you guys think?

I heard this on howard stern a while back. that giving cash to a young couple as a wedding gift is better than ANYTHING. I mean otherwise you just get more crap you dont need or even really want in the first place. If it's in bad taste to ask for cash for xmas or special occasions...tough. they'll get over it. I think it's a great idea to get cash! I never have any so it's kinda hard to give it as a gift lol

Well with my family I have purchased my presents the last few years with a budget from them. I can get cash too if I like. Sadly I am using most of my *gifts* this year for books. I am thinking about some stuff for my air compressor, got grinder?

Same problem here, So I ask for gift cards from my favorite auto store always
need some thing from there.

"Hi all. I only want one thing. Please give to my birthday 914 fund"

=) paraphrasing from my past b-days, Xmas's...

Personally, I don't like receiving gifts. I'd rather get nothing than feel bad because I don't like what someone thoughtfully picked out for me. Of course I never tell them that I don't like it... but I feel bad nonetheless.

I don't know how to tell you to ask for cash, but I can tell you that whenever someone does give me cash, I make a point in my thank you letter to tell them what I used if for. I think that it gives them a connection that they gave me something that I wanted, and probably even validates the whole idea that cash is a good gift for me.

This year, I told my wife that all I want is GT flares (from the group buy), but she already bought me something else...

For my birthday, I want a TIG...

Growing up, I've always felt that cash was a cop-out.

This was largely because it was inconvenient and useless to me. Then I turned 16.

I still very much prefer a well thought out gift. For instance, my grandmother gave me a vintage orange juicer that we had found together at a garage sale when I was 7 last year, and I would rather have it than a week's pay.

On the other hand, I can feel a little offended when someone gives me something that they took a long time trying to come up with that they somehow got totally wrong. For instance, a Jeep calendar because I'm a car guy (with no particular interest in Jeeps).

Cash is very versatile. It eliminates mistakes. But on the opposite end of the spectrum are all of my rich-dick friends. Giving THEM cash is like slapping them in the face. "What's this green stuff? I don't like touching it, it's dirty. Give it to my broker."

So here's the game plan.

Kids get toys. Usually toys that were recomended by a website or magazine.

Adults get cash or cards. Needy women get gift certificates for a masseuse, a spa, or a basket of bath-crap from one of those mall stores.

And if their annual income is greater than 100k or they have more than a mil in the bank, they get a card and a picture to put on their sub zero refrigerator.

Only deviate if you're absolutely sure. I.e. Last year, I bought my girlfriend a pretty expensive desktop computer- because she really needed one. And she's been looking at getting rid of it ever since. She wants a laptop, and even though she was desperate for a computer of any sort, she meant a laptop and I didn't pick up on it.

I have this battle right in my house. My wife and I are complete polar opposites (actually that goes for about everything LOL). My wife considers cash a cop out, and gift cards are only a small step above.

Me, I absolutely prefer cash to go get what I want. (If I could only exchange all the gifts for the money they cost!)

Everyone is different and you just have to work with them I guess. So I say I want cash, second choice a gift card from place x or place y, and for those who simply have to pick something out I throw out a couple of ideas - or just shine it on because they probably want to pick out a surprise anyway. Same thing the other way around - Gotta know the people you're giving to.

Then there's the people who are just clueless - buying gifts that are not even close to what the recipient wants, or clothes that are way out of their style or don't fit.... yada yada.

The customer service / return lines at the department stores the day after Christmas tell an interesting story eh?

I told EVERYONE that I wanted cash for my 914 restoration. And so far, I think everyone is cool with that. I've also done it in years past where I've asked for cash for projects I was working on (usually guitars and amps) so there is a precedent for me.

I also tell people that the best gift I could give them is something they absolutely and dearly wanted versus guessing and getting it wrong. The best gift anyone could give me is what I absolutely and dearly want, money for my car.

My wife asked if there were some parts I wanted that others could pick up to have something to wrap for me. I told her as well that the best way to buy parts is to have the cash in hand when the deals show up. I told her that people could wrap multiple checks in a number of boxes versus just one if it made them feel better.

I agree with just about everything everyone said.

My wife and I always argue when we have another friend getting married. Her cousin just got married and is a couple years older than us but I still said "cash" and I was right. No one ever looked at me funny when I handed them a wad of cash.

I agree kids can get toys but that's because there are so many affordable toys that kids want. It's easy to buy for kids. Remember in elementary school and junior high, the coolest things was a new pair of sneakers. An expensive pair of Nike's cost $50 back then.

Adults are weird. Most of us have everything we want that would be appropriate for someone to give us as a gift or we would just go out and buy it.

Most guys I know would rather not receive gifts or face the anxiety of having to go out every Christmas and buy gifts for people when they have no idea of what they want. I love giving gifts, I hate looking for the perfect gift to give to someone. I would rather not receive gifts at all.

I never give people gifts related to their hobbies or careers. It's like someone trying to pick out a computer or suspension for me. I have to remind my wife of this often. She has a brother who's a chef and we might buy what we think is a really good kitchen thing but he might think it's crap.

I also tell people what I used the money that they gave me for in "Thank you" notes. I agree it's a good practice and maybe makes them feel better about giving money. At my age there really aren't any more occasions in my life where people would traditionally give me money as gifts. So I'll just have to make Christmas an occasion.

Include your PayPal account in all correspondence!

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention.

Gift cards are the absolute worst gift ever. I've probly got about 1000+bucks in gift cards sitting in a drawer in my bedside table. I've got one that's like $75 to MEDIA PLAY! And they've been gone for years.

I won't give another person a gift card if they asked for one specifically. Cash. Period.

Totally - And you forget that you have them, and you loose them and when you happen to be out at the mall you go into the store and buy something and you don't have it with you.

I feel the same way about coupons. Nabisco is paying you $.50 to keep track of and carry around this little pice of paper until you buy a box of Cheezits. I hate coupons they are so not worth it. There are too many little pieces of paper in our lives. What did our dad's carry around in their wallets? Not as much crap as we have to carry around. I have a discount card for for three different grocery stores in my wallet. JUST GIVE ME $.25 OFF THE STUPID BOBOLI PIZZA CRUST, DON'T MAKE ME SWIPE YOUR STUPID CARD. AND ANOTHER THING, I DON'T WANT TO SAVE $.45 IF I HAVE TO BUY TWELVE 4-PACKS OF CHARMIN. Sorry to hijack my own thread there. Thanks for letting me vent.

I have always asked for one of three things:

1) Cash

2) Visa gift card

3) Sears gift card

That's it. My wife and I may buy each other a some little things or this year we are not getting each other anything as we are taking a 10 trip to Hawaii next summer

The kids always get toys of some sort. While I agree some people may thing Cash is a cop out, if that is what someone truly wants then what's the harm.
The best gift was the little sexy something the wife bought for herself, but gave to me.

Oh and if my brother inlaw Steve is reading this, sorry man.

Holiday Season CASH Plan

Outgoing Gifts:
- CASH for my 2 offsprings, they love it!
- Buy wifey as much as I can afford from her list of wants.
- Find time to make Susan (wife) a handmade sculpture.

Incoming Gifts:
- New pair of longjohns

Project funding:
- Hide TIV two wheel CASH outlay
They don't realize it now but when the two wheeler's finished the whole family will enjoy it. Maybe I'll add a side car next Year! Course I'll need more CASH!

People want to surprise you and make you happy. They can do both but you must help them. Here's what you do:

Put together your wish list with item description, cost, and where to acquire the item. Be sure to put expensive items and less expensive items on the list. Some folks my want to pool their funds (for that Quaife on the list).

Give or make the list available to the whoever is shopping for you.

Always keep the list current.

This way you get what you want and they get what they want (surprise & make you happy). If you don't tell them, how will they know?

Let me know how that Quaife works out for you. -Mike

[quote name='root' date='Nov 30 2007, 11:03 AM' post='972192']
Holiday Season CASH Plan

Outgoing Gifts:
- CASH for my 2 offsprings, they love it!
- Buy wifey as much as I can afford from her list of wants.
- Find time to make Susan (wife) a handmade sculpture.

Thought I'd post the hummingbird sculpture I made for Susan for Christmas-


Click to view attachment

very nice! i could see those selling well in a botique...ever think about making more?

Nope! For some reason I find it very difficult to make more than one of anything.
Guess, if I got to the point where I needed more income I'd learn to mass produce fast!

great piece of art! i saw it when it was a work in progress and was amazed at the workmanship.

Jim....that was too nice!....what do you need a another bung welded or something?

Oh man. Christmas was going pretty bad for me this year.

Until my aunt gave me a Black and Decker battery-powered adjustable wrench!!!

REALLY made my christmas. It was one of those items that I had wanted, last time I was at whichever hardware store, but I hadn't purchased because I couldn't justify the price.

Here's the thing. I'm incredibly hard to shop for. But this woman, no less, picked up on my passion for neat tools AND my inherent frugality and gave me a wicked great gift.

THANKS, AUNT MARY!!!

Btw, cool hummingbird.