All-Purpose Holiday Shopping Help

I figure many of us are probably just starting our Christmas shopping and likely looking for a good deal.

So think of this as a thread for gift idea that don't break the bank.

Looking for anyone with experience with Restaurant.com. I see you can get five $100 gift cards for $40 or five $50 gift cards for $25.

Would this be a good gift for parents in another city or a spouse for dinners out, or are the hoops you have to jump through to reedem them such that you end up looking like a cheapskate?

 

I have some limited experience with them, and it's never been a hassle to redeem them. Some of the times I've wanted to give those out for gifts out-of-towners, there were VERY limited selection of participating restaurants in some areas.

That's the only red flag we've run into.

 

On another note: I strongly recommend Kohl's if you're looking for home decor or some simple clothing.

Got a sweater and slacks for my mom, sweater, button-down shirt and a wallet for my dad, a scarf/hat/gloves combo for my mom and some stocking stuff. Total ticket price: $344. I paid $132.

Christmas shopping done. Boom!

 

21 says he's a little busy right now.

 

If 21 can talk, he's not busy enough.

 

Read the fine print! A lot of these have stipulations. For example, to use the $25 gift certificate, you have to spend at least 35 bucks...which means your "gift" is costing your giftee 10 bucks off the top, plus tip.

 

Ace, have you tried Groupon for some gifts for your out of town people? Sign up for it using the various towns that people you buy for live in. I buy stuff for my daughter in her town all the time. And they have more than just restaurant offers. Lots of great stuff and I have never had a problem with any Groupon offer that I've purchased. I recently bought her a tune up and oil change for $11. And she just bought 2 hours of trapeze lessons for her and her boyfriend. The costs savings are amazing. I think she paid $25 for both of them. The ladies and I at work buy them all the time for the restaurant across the street from work that we like to frequent after work. We get a $25 gift card for $10. They really do have some great offers that are unique to the town.

 

Trapeze lessons? That is fan-fucking-tastic.

My sweet stoner sibling and her stoner husband would absolutely attend those lessons high. I would pay so much money for the chance to watch those two fools hit the net on every single attempt. Flailing through the air. Holy shit, I'm just laughing at the thought of it.

I'm going to research this immediately.

 

Thanks, tx. Good idea. I think I'll get trapeze lessons for my parents.

 

We get my in-laws a GC from a bed and breakfast or local restaurant.
They are both retired and GC's allow them to pick the date. My wife puts the GC's in a basket with brochures from the area (antique shops, shopping malls, local restaurants and attractions).
They really seem to enjoy it.

We ordered the stuff Saturday and we got it (all of it) in the mail Monday.

 

Yeah, that's been my experience too. On $50 gift certificate I got ended up costing me $45. I've gotten two others from restaurant.com and the restaurants were about an hour drive from where I live. I never got around to using them and lost them during the move. I feel bad that my mother wasted probably $50 between the two of them on something that never got used.