Money Moral Dilemma: Should you give your best mate a £1 pressie?

13katrina

Yes, I would. As others have said it's the present and thought that counts not the cost.

I even recycle presents if I receive something that's not really me - usually presents posted from relatives far away who don't really know me that well - and I know a friend would love it, it will be put away and given for their birthday/christmas present.

EDNA

I'd certainly give the £1 gift - but would probably take my friend for a slap-up meal and hand over the gift at the restaurant. Two pressies for the price or one and we'd both get to enjoy the meal!
Tip: find a restaurant offering a two-for-one deal and you're quids in.

grrrl

I think it's better not to tell your friend exactly how much you've paid for their present - I always find it takes the "magic" out of receiving something if you're given a breakdown of how much it cost!

The problem with buying another present to fill the £29 gap is that your friend will feel they need to up their usual spend on your birthday! I've been caught in this cycle before and it's not fun!

It's the thought that counts - you've got them a present that they'll both appreciate and use, so what's wrong with that?

Saucepot

I went out with a bird once who told me it was her birthday the following day. I bought her a chewbacca Pez, that very night. She liked it enough to shag me. And we shared the Pez candy so I ate half of it anyway. result.

Ebenezer_Screwj

Of course, good result. Isn't that what this website's all about ?

CAS01

Yes I would spend £1.00 on my best friends pressie. Remember its the thought that counts, not how much you spend. We're all too money orientated these days. I would also make sure that I wrapped it really nice (as I would now have some spare cash for some good quality wrapping) and would probably give her a nice bottle of wine as well. She would be very happy with the presents and touched at the effort I had made.

robpw2

hey just bought me dad a book for £0.99p so do i look bothereed its normally £18.99 and amazon have it for £8.00

Badger_Lady

Weirdly enough, I've just done this...

My friend had her 40th birthday this week, and I'm going to see her tonight. I wanted to get her a piece of gold-coloured jewellery that would go with the earrings she recently showed me.

Browsing in the Matalan clearance store in Newport, I saw the perfect item - a gold-coloured pendant on a slender chain, with diamonte stones in the front. There was one left, and it was reduced from £8 to just £1.

It's exactly the perfect gift for her and, if I got her something else as well, she'd feel guilty thinking that I'd spent too much.

So I've made her some dairy-free chocolate truffles (we're both lactose intolerant), and I'll present them together with the necklace in a pretty box.

The overall cost of this gift will be £2, less than most shop-bought cards, but she's not to know that - and there's at least as much time and thought gone into it as any other gift I could have spent my hard-earned cash on.

rag_doll

I'd have no problem doing this if it's something they'd like, I wouldn't buy it because I'd got it reduced but because they liked it, if I did confess any friend of mine would be impressed!
:T

tomwakefield

Absolutely. It isn't the cost that's important, it's the thought. Some of the best presents I've had have been home made - not a lot of cash, but tons of thought.