Just in time for the Holidays - The perfect children's gift

With the experience of three children and from having purchased many, many, uh.. too many gifts for them and their little friends - OK, let me vent a second while we are on this topic-

There should be a federal limit on how many parties one family's children can get invited too!  I'm drafting a new law later today. 

Wouldn't it be great to be able to say, "Sorry Sally, Betsy cannot come to your party as she's already been to the "Bounce your kid Silly Hut" six times this month and Dad's looking at four over-limit fees on his credit card."

I guess my parents were fortunate that I was unpopular.  Think how much money they saved since I wasn't invited to all those football player/cheerleader parties.  I better get a better piece of the inheritance than my "everyone lover her sister"

Anyway, back to the perfect children's gift for the holidays and/or year round kids parties.  Are you ready?  It's ... CASH!  What kid doesn't want a pocket-full of personal choices?  Oh, but it's so impersonal you say.  Do you know how personal my daughter takes it every year when her grandma buys her a pink sweater (my daughter is more likely to go naked than wear pink).  And as their parent, I just love having to return a pink sweater every year or think to myself, this was so thoughtful as i deliver the item to my favorite thrift store - unworn or unused.  Even the charity would rather have a cash donation.  Why are we keeping the pink sweater industry alive?

Cash is the perfect gift for many reasons.  First - it likely to be accepted almost anywhere for anything.  Second, it forces children to recognize that the things they want - COST MONEY!  Using a gift card does not accomplish this.  A gift card is a magical piece of plastic that turns into CDs (not the good kind), clothes, and toys.  Gift cards force parents into financial conversations like, you don't have enough for that; but what this means to the child is that the magic card they got was not magical enough.  Cash forces the child to read the price tag on an item and choose one that is less than what they have - AMAZING! Personal choices and responsibility in one gift!  If you really get crazy, you could even teach kids about, wait for it -- TAXES!

I read recently that something like $80billion/million/trillion/gaJillion dollars of gift cards are purchased; yet something like 30% are never used.  I know of at least a dozen that were lost in my family's holiday wrapping paper.  It's funny how gift cards end up in piles of paper; but cash goes right into the child's pocket (for me to find later in the wash - No, son I have no idea where your $10 is - you should be more responsible).  I'll always remember my Uncle Gene who gave me birthday cash - five $2 bills (remember the $2 bill? - you can request them at the bank) and for my wedding, he gave me 25 $2 bills.  That $50 remains in the envelope it came in, in our firebox; it's lasted longer than any other gift we received that day.

Hey, if a child makes a list and can you find the exact item at a great discount price - go ahead and buy it; but if you are guessing what the boy/girl wants - go for the sure thing - CASH.  If you are worried that the $15 you can afford won't make a good impression - give them 15 $1 bills rolled up with a rubber-band - What is cooler than a big wad of moola!  If the child is young, it even encourages counting and math skills.  How about 10 $1, 8 quarters, 20 dimes, 40 nickels and 100 pennies (maybe throw in a bank to encourage saving!).  Sure sounds like more fun than a gift card to me (or a pink sweater) - sorry grandma.