Money Moral Dilemma: Is it OK to spend my baby's vouchers on myself?

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MSE_Sarah
MSE_Sarah Posts: 327 MSE Staff
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in Marriage, relationships & families
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...
We were given loads of M&S vouchers for my baby's first birthday. She genuinely has everything she needs, so I'm thinking of buying myself new pyjamas. Would that be wrong?

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Comments

  • Accountant_Kerry
    Accountant_Kerry Posts: 628 Forumite
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    I wouldn't personally, I would however 'buy' the vouchers from my child at face value and put the money in their savings account
    Mar 24 - Mortgage Balance £249,794.45
    Credit Card - £8,182.23 + £4,731.65
    Goals: Mortgage Free by 2035, Give up full time work once Mortgage Free, Ensure I have a pension income of £20k per year from 2035

  • Sea_Shell
    Sea_Shell Posts: 9,379 Forumite
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    As vouchers have a habit of going west (hopefully not M&S though), I'd spend them asap on whatever you want, but like the above poster said, payback your child by putting the cash away for them.
    How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.31% of current retirement "pot" (as at end March 2024)
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,686 Forumite
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    So people bought vouchers for your baby and you want to buy pyjamas for yourself?
    Really?
    You have to ask strangers if that's wrong?
    Unless you're going to make good the money i.e. do as posters above mention and use the vouchers for yourself and put the exact same amount away for your child, you are stealing from your child.
    Does that sound OK to you?
    I'm gob-smacked anyone needs to ask this question.
  • rach_k
    rach_k Posts: 2,236 Forumite
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    I'd happily swap the vouchers for cash and spend the vouchers on myself. I probably wouldn't just buy PJs without putting something aside for the child.

    That said, as a gift giver, I'd not mind. The baby is going to get what she needs and probably most of what she wants for a good few years yet and all money is family money. If mum buys PJs now with the vouchers, she'll have extra cash for a baby thing at some point later. It'll balance out. If the gift giver wanted the baby to have something particular or special, they would have bought it. And also, mums tend to get up a lot in the night with babies! PJs help with that - bit of a stretch but I'd be okay with that.
  • pwharley
    pwharley Posts: 23 Forumite
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    Provided your baby says "That's OK, Mummy/Daddy", there should be no problem. Title in the vouchers would then pass to yourself.
  • Asya86
    Asya86 Posts: 71 Forumite
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    Are people serious here? Spend it on whatever you like! You're the mother and if you're trusted to have this child you're trusted to know what they need and to sirens as much as you see fit on your child or yourself. This is really not any body's business!
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,686 Forumite
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    Asya86 wrote: »
    Are people serious here? Spend it on whatever you like! You're the mother and if you're trusted to have this child you're trusted to know what they need and to sirens as much as you see fit on your child or yourself. This is really not any body's business!

    The author of this dilemma made it other people's business when they asked random strangers on t'interweb for their opinions. :whistle:
  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,357 Forumite
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    Sea_Shell wrote: »
    As vouchers have a habit of going west (hopefully not M&S though)

    I wouldn't be complacent.

    M&S’s half-year results sees 17.1% drop in pre-tax profits and 2.1% decline in sales
    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • Bbqribs
    Bbqribs Posts: 1 Newbie
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    I'm shocked at some of the reactions on here. Personally when I give a baby gift, it's me trying to support a new family and help with expenses and show support and appreciation. It doesn't come with strings when I get gifts. A family is a unit. If you need something for yourself, then the family needs something and vice versa. As long as you understand the priority list of things needed.

    Get some pyjamas and have a comfortable winter! And congratulations. :)
  • Middlestitch
    Middlestitch Posts: 1,486 Forumite
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    Find something real to worry about. Of course it's OK.
This discussion has been closed.
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