Where do you draw the line at giving gifts?

Question

Hi everyone. I know that everyone gives and receives gifts all the time for several different reasons. But where do you draw the line at? When do you feel a friend has gone too far? Maybe this would explain a bit better. Recently, a friend and I chipped in money to buy a $300 cellphone for another friend's birthday (cause he needed a new one and we'd rather he save the money he was going to buy it with, for something else). After that, people have been giving me nothing but **** and criticism about being materialistic, saying there's so much more I can give! When we worked out things such as reasons for gifts, they still obviously have a problem with it. So I guess the real question is where do you draw the line at giving gifts, whether it be nature of the gift, or expense of the gift..etc..etc... I hope this actually makes sense to you readers. Don't answer if you're just going to give me bullshit.

Answer 1

You know what YOU can afford, NOT the other people. You chip in what you feel comfortable chipping in (or not) and if the others don't like it, tough! Do not let other people dictate to you the amount of money YOU can afford to chip in. Frankly, if I had a friend who needed a cell phone, I would expect THEM to buy it. A $300 cell phone is a fairly expensive B-day present (unless there were say 20 of you chipping in). No one knows your financial obligations except YOU! Ignore the others and blow them off if they start haranguing you about chipping in more. Chipping in is VOLUNTARY not MANDATORY, and so is the amount given.

Answer 2

The best gifts are ones from the heart.

The way I view it is you should not try to rationalize NOT giving someone a gift. "What will people think." "Its going to far." so on.

Don't draw any lines. If you are in a store and you see gold plated piece of crap and the first thing that comes into your mind is "Boy Joe would love this" from that point on you should be trying to buy. If you can reasonably afford it, you have no reason not to buy. Even if it's not a holiday or not his birthday; if your heart is over come with a feeling of "this will make my friend happy" you should try to get it.

If you felt your friend needed a $300 phone or if you knew he just wanted one you were being a good friend to buy it for him.

Answer 3

If you can afford to give nice gifts,the give them. Gift giving is a purely personal venture. However, I do have problems when I exchange gifts with people and they give me a very extravagant thing and I only give them a cute, modest thing since I can't afford to go down the extravagant route.

Answer 4

Ignore what others say. It is YOUR money and YOUR decision on what to do with it. If you want to burn it in the fireplace, no one should say anything--its YOURS to do with as YOU wish. F*** em, do what you want and more power to you!