A new twist on an old gift idea

I like the Work & Life blog on Real Simple. A recent post by Julie Rottenberg on the ups and downs of giving a magazine subscription as a gift got me thinking.

As Julie points out, a subscription is fun to give initially, but can leave you wondering what to do when renewal time comes along. (Should you renew? Does the recipient want the magazine renewed? Will the renewal look lackluster as a gift or tie you into a long-term gifting arrangement?)

Instead, I suggest giving a gift card for a magazine subscription. The recipient can pick out which magazine to order and the renewal notice won’t come to you. It’s a one-time gift.

With that problem solved, I started thinking of fun ways to deliver a magazine subscription gift card–all starting with a store bought magazine. The recipient can order a different magazine, of course, but your gift ensemble acts as recommended reading plus something for the recipient to enjoy while he or she waits for the first issue to arrive.

Then I’d pick up accessories to go with the magazine like a bag of chips, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle for poolside reading. Or do something in line with the magazine you’re giving. For example, Sports Illustrated and an energy bar for the athlete, Family Fun magazine and craft supplies for the toddler-age mom, or Real Simple with decorative push-pins for the organizer.

This is a gift that works for Him, Her, the Family, and for Kids. I love it and appreciate Julie’s post that kicked me into re-thinking this old gift idea.

Wish my iPhone had a flash!

I took my kids to see Toy Story 3 this morning. I don’t normally like the animated flicks, but I chuckled even more than the little ones this time. Toys I hadn’t thought about in years showed up on screen like old friends. (Including a few toys I coveted but never got to make friends with, like that three story Barbie Apartment!) But the best part of the day was using the gift card I found last week to offset the cost of admission.

Saving Money

This little Disney-Pixar flashback would have cost me $45 without the gift card. That’s a lot of money for a matinee, especially when I’m trying to stretch the family budget across a summer’s worth of activities.

While a movie gift card may no longer be the most original gift to give, it’s still a great gift for a kid, teen, family, or anybody who likes to go to the theater. The recipient might not use it right away, but is certain to appreciate it when they do.

Make the Movie Gift Card More Personal

Partner a movie gift card with some movie snacks, popcorn, or something relevant to the movie you think they’re most likely to see. For Toy Story 3, for example, get a slinky akin to the one in the movie. For the new Twilight movie, Eclipse, get a gift card to the movies with some fake blood and vampire teeth. Or, if you’re like me, a movie gift card would go perfect with a purse size salt shaker for the tub of popcorn I’d buy once I got there.

Maybe we could all learn a lesson from these two boys

My 8-year-old son has been stockpiling gift cards all year. From time to time, he’d ask me to buy something non-essential and I’d respond, “You can buy that with your own money.” He never wanted said item badly enough to part with the plastic.

But this morning, he and his little brother burst into my bedroom with a plan–they wanted to pool their money to buy Madden NFL and a new nun-chuck for the Wii. Your money? Yes. Something you really want? Yes. A non-couch activity for the summer? Let me get my keys.

This is just another example of why I love gift cards for kids. Matthew had received enough loot for Christmas and for his birthday that he didn’t want for anything else. So rather than redeem the gift cards frivolously, he saved them for a future purchase. In this world of instant gratification, I’m happy to see that his patience paid off.

Want to help your kids redeem gift cards? Click here.

My best sports gal pal–the one who will drop anything for a game of tennis, basketball, softball, etc.–called me the other day for gift card advice. Her tween daughter had been invited to a princess party and Suzanne wanted to know if I could improve upon the present she’d put together. I tell ya, it was so darn cute, I had nothing to add. In fact, I made her promise to send me a picture when she got it all put together.

The Princess and The Frog Gift Card package included:
- Gift card to Target in shape of a frog
- Princess crown
- Princess wand
- Candy Kisses for her true love’s kiss

Is this cute or what!?

For other gift card ideas, check out the Kids and Teens section of my site.

My favorite Easter memory comes from my childhood when my mom bought each of us kids a chocolate Easter bunny and then accidentally left them in the car. The bunnies melted into brown puddles with floating eyes and a little bow. Since replacing seven rabbits would have been costly, she plopped the boxes in our baskets anyway. We all had a good laugh and to this day, I can’t look at Easter candy without picturing those vagabond eyes.

Though I’m obviously a gift card junkie, I don’t often think of gift cards for this particular holiday. But today, proved me wrong. My kids each received a gift card in the mail from their Aunt Cher. When we called to thank her, she said, “I figured your kids would get enough candy for Easter. So I thought they’d enjoy picking out a different kind of treat from me instead.” Too fun! The kids are super happy and already plotting their shopping trip.

What a nice gesture. Now I’m re-thinking my position. Cher is right. The last thing we need here is more candy. It’s not even Easter and already I’ve eaten the two bags of Whoppers eggs I bought a week ago. (By myself! And I’m not kidding!) With the gift cards, however, the kids get to buy something that I won’t steal and have to jog off later. Bonus!

I think of changing the oil in my car the same way I think about going to the dentist or cleaning the furnace vent. I know it’s important, but is certainly nothing I look forward to doing. And honestly, not my first choice in how I spend my money.

But a good friend of mine posted a comment on her blog that reminded me why practical gift cards like Jiffy Lube are sometimes even better than the fanciful ones. If I’m trying to save money, I can opt not to buy something I want but don’t really need (like a new tennis skirt). Putting off maintenance tasks (like taking care of the car), however, could end up costing me more later if I avoid them now in an effort to be frugal.

The Jiffy Lube gift card we’re giving away, inspired me to take better care of my car. With the Signature Service, I got a needed oil change plus a variety of fluid levels topped off. I also got the tire pressure checked which is something I’d been worrying about lately. And they vacuumed every last Cheerio out of the car. With three kids nesting in the back of that minivan, the vacuum service alone would have been worth the trip.

Coming out of the shop, I felt great. It’s truly a gift to take care of something that needs to be done without having to pay for it. So don’t feel bad about getting someone a gift card instead of a “real gift.” Chances are you’ll be giving them exactly what they need.

Don’t forget to enter the Jiffy Lube Gift Card Contest.