Real-life MMD: Time to sell gift for big bucks?

Maat

If the clock really is worth money which would be useful to you and you do want to sell it I think you should. It's how you tell your friend about it that's key (don't think for one moment about not telling her).

What I'd say in this situation is that while I like the clock and she was lovely to get it for me, that I don't love it. I'd tell her outright that I'd learned it's worth a lot of money which would be really useful for me right now and that I'm thinking of selling it for that reason. Such an approach would leave it open for her to be supportive of your wish and part of the decision-making process. It would show you value her opinion as well as her gift.

I like the idea of taking your friend out for a nice meal or show rather than simply giving her the cash. It'd mean you'd both get the benefit of a nice experience as a gift to each other then.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

deepthinker

Clock : £ hundreds

Friend: £ priceless

Nuff said !

[Deleted User]

If the clock's worth something now, it will probably be worth more in a few years time so why not hang onto it for the time being? In a year or two, you may not even be friends anymore and then you can sell it with no dilemma. Or you can look on it as a long term investment for the future and keep it.

florere

If your friend comes to visit she will soon know that it has gone, talk to her, I think that if you decide to sell you should split the proceeds, after all your friendship is worth more than a clock. Isn't it?

happyinflorida

What are you going to say when your friend next comes round to your home and the clock is missing from your mantelpiece?


Personally I value my friends and wouldn't want to upset anyone I considered a friend.


You must know this person fairly well, they are your friend. So how do you think they will react to your selling it?


You must like it to have put it in such a prominent place in your home, so your friend must have bought you something they knew you would like.


If you need the money and your friend is aware of this fact then discuss it with them.


See how they react and what their opinion is on the matter and take it from there.

gaving7095

Firstly - this seems to have really bought out divided opinions, which I think makes a nice change :-) Clearly IS an actual "dilemma" this week!

Here's mine:
It's yours, do what you like with it :-) If somebody bought you a cheap poster print which you didn't like you'd probably have no qualms at least putting it out of sight somewhere (thus rendering it "useless") if not flat-out giving / throwing it away so same rules apply in my opinion.
Surely once a gift is given, it's out of your hands and it's best to never even mention it again? Anything would be self-congratulatory in some way or at least the definition of there being "strings attached"... As a recipient I don't want any gift with strings attached.
If you were to actually lose a friend over a car boot gift (actually ANY gift) being sold I would question the strength of the friendship in the first place. Even if offended, it's a 2-way street - your friend should also see that your friendship is worth more than any gift.

Your offer to split the money is very generous I think - if it was me I would be overjoyed, not offended :-D Also, I would opt for cash as opposed to spending it "for her" on a night out for example, i.e. give her hopefully a fat, surprise wad of bonus cash & THEN suggest a celebratory night out ;-)

**Hello**

If it had been something from any normal shop and I didn't like it then id say sell it. But seeing as she has spent time and probably put thought into the present I wouldn't risk the friendship. If I found out it was worth hundreds I personally would explain to her what I had been told and tell her the gift was too much and if she wanted to sell it on then there wouldn't be any hard feelings. We don't know what situation the friend was in financially, and maybe that is why they have gone to a carboot sale to buy something with thought rather than monetary value.


I would value the friendship more.

chriswedge

Do you have a cat that you could perhaps blame an unfortunate (made-up) accident on?

gaily

I'd tell my friend what my brother had said about the clock. Now might be the time (groan!) to tell your true feelings about the clock, but think it might be worth finding out - together, as all the best things are done with friends - what the value of the clock is.

You might get a fanstatic gasp from your friend if you're told it is valuable, and then can split the proceeds (after buying a new mantlpiece clock!).

If you like the clock then it'll take a bigger settlement than if you loathe it, so have the love/hate chat now.

scottiemac

Personally, I would tell my friend that I had been told that the gift they had given me MAY be of great value. See what they say. You could maybe have a small adventure together trying to sell it if that was a joint decision. Otherwise make sure you polish it regularly and pass it onto your grandchildren.