'1p Father's Day cards: is it the thought or the cost that counts?' blog discussion

Former_MSE_Penelope

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "1p Father's Day cards: is it the thought or the cost that counts?" Blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.

CheeseCat

I bet they didn't think it was personalised - unless its just me who thinks that a 1p personalised card with a special photo on it is much more preferrable to a £4 (for example) non-personalised card.

Then again as a money saver I don't think I would ever want someone to spend loads of money on the 'bit of card' - its the thought and the message inside that means something to me

I think my dad would think the same, I asked him what present he wanted (he's notoriously hard to buy for!) and he just said he wanted the family together and maybe we could just buy him a couple drinks down the pub. That's what its all about isn't it? Being with dad?

luxor4t

For years the little Luxors made bithday, Christmas , Mother's and father's day cards.
Cost? nothing except time, imagination and love! Value? Priceless!

And we would not have it any other way. Train a child in the way he should go...

(As they got older and wanted to spend money they were encouraged towards the (then available) shop gift cards - £1 bought a £1 voucher and a card at no extra cost. )

fiscalfreckles

My daughters have managed to get a completely free Fathers Day card using existing credit (which was given free) & a half price code on FP.com.

I believe their father will be very proud of their financial acumen. They have chosen a design personal to him, which for teenagers is probably the equivalent of them hand making cards in their younger days!

mummyplus3

Luckily mine both go to nursery so have made there Dad lovely messy glittery sticky cards for him there. Costs us nothing but he will love them!

JimmyTheWig

If I’m reading the comments right

I believe the middle comment is saying a 1p card is fine. Don't know if that alters anything.

I would be much happier with a 1p card than a more expensive card. It's only a card. It's what's written on it that counts.
I'd be slightly off-put by a non-hand-written envelope, though. Whether it cost 1p or £5 that might be seen as the "easy" option.


It's my birthday next month and my wife has found a way of getting what she wanted to buy me as a free gift. Her family said "you can't give him something that's free". She knows me better than they do and pointed out, quite correctly, that I'd prefer something if it was free!

Petlamb

I find that kind of sad that some would be unhappy with a cheaply sourced card... I suppose everyone's different.

As for me... I got mine free :P Personalised, from the FP offer that ran 'till a few days ago.

Obsessive

While I'd much prefer to send my Dad a handwritten card, the offer of spending only 1p was too good to pass up. The father's day card selection wasn't great but I found a design I quite liked and added a photo of him from my birthday outing.

My Dad is very practical and he never wants a father's day present as he doesn't believe in buying presents for the sake of it and wasting money (plus he never wants anything and is very hard to buy for)! I'm really having to watch the pennies at the minute and I know he'd never want me to spend money on him when I should be using it wisely myself.

No matter what I spent, he'll appreciate me recognising father's day and will enjoy a phone chat (we live a few hundred miles apart) far more than a bit of signed paper. For us, it's definitely the thought that counts - at least I hope so, as he gets the MSE emails every week so may know exactly how little I spent! Although if he does mention it, I can always remind them that my Christmas presents are usually bought with Mum's Boots Advantage points!

Cleo03

I can not see anything wrong with buying a 1p father's day card or any other type of card. I strongly agree 'it's the thought that counts'

Every year my parents say i should not buy them a card as they feel it's a waste of money but i still do. However, this year i purchased a 1p card on behalf of my daughter to give to her grandad. I would have ordered a free father's day card for my dad from funky pigeon but i had already purchased a card before i saw the offer. So i ordered a free birthday card for my friend instead! I strongly believe my dad and friend will be grateful and not feel upset that i did not spend £2/3 on their card. I also like the idea of being able to personalise the cards with photos, words etc. The quality and service is very good to.:)

Richard019

I find the whole concept of Mothers Day/Fathers Day/Valentines Day to be a bit off really, you shouldn't need a specific day to be told that today is the day you show them how much you appreciate them/love them, you should be doing it all year round so you'd think I'd like this 1p card thing as it undermines the commercialised approach that's taken over the days.

But I think the perception is in the sales pitch of the offer. I assume the offer was some sort of introductory offer to get customers registered in the hope that when it comes round to other 'holidays' they'll return and pay full price so:

Fathers Day cards for just 1p!
vs
£3 Fathers Day cards just 1p!

The former is quite an offensive one for the recipient, you've been attracted because it's cheap with no statement of quality, you'd be better getting nothing. The 2nd is good moneysaving because you've been attracted by the saving which suggests you're looking for something good and have found a bargain.

On a similar theme to the first one, when I receive poor service in a restaurant I leave a 1p tip. It does have to be very bad, and as I pay on card they'll know it's not just leaving the change. You might think not leaving a tip would be better, but then the assumption is probably that you don't leave tips, leaving 1p shows you do tip and it just wasn't up to scratch.

JimmyTheWig

Richard019 wrote: »

when I receive poor service in a restaurant I leave a 1p tip.

Ooh, that is really, really harsh!