View Full Version : Do friends/family find it 'Impossible' to buy gifts for you?
Puffa469
08-17-2006, 12:05 PM
Because you never buy anything full price, and because you already own soo many games, do your close friends, family, significant others, etc, find it impossible to buy gaming/technology related gifts for you?
I almost never get games as gifts from anyone because no one is ever sure if I have it already or not. Plus when they give a game to me, theyre afraid I'll start explaining to them how they could have gotten it much cheaper, lol.
On the rare occassion that I do get a game as a gift, I usually get a gift receipt with it, so I can exchange it if I already have it, or dont want it.
Its just funny to me that I love games sooo much, that everyone Is afraid to buy any for me.
What about you guys?
javeryh
08-17-2006, 12:09 PM
Of course it's near-impossible. I have most everything that I ever wanted and things I do want are either impossible to buy or cost way more than someone should spend on a gift. Plus, I tell everyone I know not to buy me anything for any occasion and just save their money. They still don't listen.
Apossum
08-17-2006, 12:19 PM
not really-- I always ask for giftcards.
botticus
08-17-2006, 12:21 PM
Yeah, I usually go the gift card route. There's plenty of computer-related stuff I don't have and want, but I've just taken to no longer mentioning games to anyone as gifts, even movies for that matter to a lesser extent - I'm not as much of a DVD buyer, so if I can get some as gifts, that's fine, particularly season sets.
No point in having someone spend $50 on a game for me when I was planning on waiting till it got down to $20. They're better off giving me a $50 gift card.
VAD3R or Fro
08-17-2006, 01:27 PM
If its grandparents they dont know. So my granny sends me a 50 dollar check. MY parents though know what to get if i list the game cover and system.
guyver2077
08-17-2006, 01:29 PM
yea i always get best buy giftcards..
fine by me
The only game my parents ever bought for me was Toy Story for GameBoy, when I was in sixth grade, for my birthday.
My dad vowed to never buy me a video game... and my mom did, too, because she's a female.
evanft
08-17-2006, 01:35 PM
Gift cards are for suckers. Cash FTW!
emd081603
08-17-2006, 01:40 PM
Wow you guys must get a lot of gifts. The only gifts I get are from my wife. On a gift giving occasion she always picks up the latest gadgets she's heard me saying I want. Only once has she been wrong but I promptly returned it for what I needed.
Rusty Ghia
08-17-2006, 01:43 PM
The only game my parents ever bought for me was Toy Story for GameBoy, when I was in sixth grade, for my birthday.
My dad vowed to never buy me a video game... and my mom did, too, because she's a female.
Your mom's female? Mine too!
niceguyshawne
08-17-2006, 01:45 PM
I never get games anymore for the reasons that you listed.
Nope, it's the exact opposite for me. My family always comments about how easy it is to shop for me for my birthday and Christmas. However, I still feel guilty if I put games on my list that are 50 dollars, because I know I would never pay that for it.
I'm so cheap anymore I don't even like paying 19.99 for games when they drop, but I have an easier time putting those type of games on my wishlist. For example, I want Soul Calibur III, but I don't want to run out and buy it now for 19.99, so I'll ask for it for my birthday coming up next month.
asianxcore
08-17-2006, 02:08 PM
My parents haven't bought me a video game since Fatal Fury for SNES :)
Other than that, my friends don't have a hard time buying me video game gifts. For the most part they know what is in my collection.
GF_Eric
08-17-2006, 02:14 PM
I don't ever get games, DVDs, or CDs anymore simply because everyone knows that if I want something I just go out and buy it. Instead, they give me other stuff. For my birthday this year my parents gave me a new lantern and tent so I could go camping with my friends. A few years ago they gave me a Super Mario Bros. Telephone. For Christmas last year they gave me a Homer Simpson talking clock. All stuff that was completely unexpected so it is even cooler to know that they know what I like. I guess after 23 years they should know, but parents and family are strange.
Funny you should make this topic because yesterday was my birthday, and because my wife/kids are not CAG's I just bought my own gifts. I have nearly every video game I want anyway (thanks to CAG). The only things I wanted this week were Simpsons Season 8 (which is mostly for the kids anyway) and the $9.99 Suikoden Tactics from CC. So I went and bought them myself - they (meaning, ultimately, ME) would pay full price for Simpsons and not even know what the hell Suikoden Tactics was. I could tell them where the best deals are, but it is much easier just for me to go get them :roll:.
My Mom gave me a gift card for Fred Meyer - I'll end up using it on groceries probably (though I did just buy Yoshi's Island for GBA there for $9.99 last week, they usually don't have good game deals).
Target gift cards are always welcome too :lol:. That is the best present to get from parents/in-laws. Of course, it makes no sense for my wife and kids to give me gift cards.
Oh yeah, I just turned old+1 by the way.
Chacrana
08-17-2006, 02:42 PM
Yeah, it's pretty much impossible for people to find something I don't have. Some people ask if I have a list and I refer them to my wish list on IGN... but for most people, cash and gift cards are pretty much the only option.
MidnightRain
08-17-2006, 03:20 PM
I don't get many games as gifts, unless they're from fellow gamer friends who are very familiar with my collection and/or want list. Around Christmas and my birthday, my mom just asks for a list of what I don't have (games and DVDs) and she'll usually pick something up from that if she has the opportunity.
encendido5
08-17-2006, 03:27 PM
It's definitely tough for my fiance to buy me gifts since I pretty much buy everything I want for myself. And even if I don't, she thinks I will just think about how I could have saved money on said game. She'll even tell me not to buy myself anything when my bday/xmas is coming up. It's funny though because I'm just trying to maximize my gift to the fullest extent. So instead of getting that $50 game, I'll get a $20 game and wait for a price drop, use coupons, and wait for the B2G1.
furyk
08-17-2006, 03:30 PM
I very rarely get gift cards since either. I almost always end up doing the holiday shopping for the family, and on my birthday, I leave very detailed lists on where and when to buy stuff from.
Rei no Otaku
08-17-2006, 05:08 PM
I usually purposefully don't buy something I want so my parents will have something to buy me on my birthday/Christmas. Like this year I'll probably have them get me Valkyrie Profile 2. Comes out two days after my birthday anyway. It's why I don't have a 360 yet. I'm going to let my parents buy it for me at Christmas.
Warner1281
08-17-2006, 06:55 PM
Depends on who's trying to buy for me. My wife and kids have a hard time because they know I LOVE video games, but never know which ones I have. So 1 of two things happens. I make a list of a few games I want and I get them (knowing that they paid full retail... :bomb: ) or they take me with them and say pick out a couple games. If it's my parents or sisters, they usually pick out stuff I need (clothes, stuff for my car, etc.). If it's some random co-worker or something... I get candy or giftcards.
mtxbass1
08-17-2006, 06:59 PM
Of course it's near-impossible. I have most everything that I ever wanted and things I do want are either impossible to buy or cost way more than someone should spend on a gift. Plus, I tell everyone I know not to buy me anything for any occasion and just save their money. They still don't listen.
It's exactly like this for me too. I make enough money that I can buy most whatever I need/want, so when it comes down to someone buying me something, it's usually pretty difficult.