What Are Your Thoughts on Used Gifts? JFF

In some instances, I have given someone a gift that was given to me that I cannot use HOWEVER, I did not present it as a gift, as in re-gifting. I just knew she was looking for something like this and I received it and did not need it so I passed it on.

So regifting and presenting as a gift from me... no I don't and won't.

Passing along something that I can't use and someone else can that is new that I received... yes, I just pass it along.

Have I received a re-gift? Yes, I have and I would never have known but oops, the little card was left in the box. It did not offend me though. It was just some hand towels for the kitchen and they matched my kitchen just fine so I sent a thank you note as I always do and never mentioned it.

I am not one for garage sales, having them or buying from them. Some people get great deals at garage sales and I know it takes a lot of patience and time. I make regular donations to the women's shelter when I clean things out.

I would absolutely pick up something used, that I saw at a garage sale or thrift shop, if it was in great shape if I knew of someone was specifically looking for that item, or in dire need of it-however, I wouldn't give it as a shower, bridal or birthday gift! I would give it as a no occasion "love you, and thought you'd like/knew you needed O." type of gift.

I would rather get something outta the box and loved...Then open something brand new each year at chriistmas...or any other gift giving event.

In fact if someone goes outta their way to give me something used..and cleaned it up...That would mean more too me.

My best friend is getting married in March.

She doesnt not want to buy a wedding dress.

So she is looking into renting one...Or using one ffrom a friend and changing it up a bit herself.

I think this is marvelous.

When you are done with something what is the point of throwing it away or giving it away if you know someone that could benefit from something.

Resale value is awesome..but sometimes gifting is nicer on the heart

I have no problem with receiving a gift that used to belong to someone else.

In fact, for my birthday this year, a good friend of mine sent me three big boxes of movies that she had purged from her collection but thought I might like. And I loved it. She also sent me her old dvd player (her mom gave her an upgrade for her birthday), AND her old iPhone (she upgraded). I had no issue with ANY of those things being hand-me-down gifts.

It really depends. There are some amazing bar signs, ya know those neon things that you can only get used.

Now going out and getting used baby clothes and giving them at a baby shower, tacky as heck.

I think the difference is, is the gift unique. I guess also if the gift is expensive new. So you are giving something nicer than you could afford to give new. Not sure if that makes sense.

If it is a brand new item that was never used or open and the box isn't discolored or dented then It's fine. Also, as long as it would be a useful item and not obsolete that would be fine too...Just don't give something that was obviously used or old...I mean seriously!! LOL

I have been the recipient of recycled gifts and you can tell. That offends me.

I specifically ASK for used or handmedown presents.

I would never do it in place of buying a new gift, but I might do it in addition to a newly bought or made gift, and would ALWAYS let the recipient know that it was used.

i don't mind at all. It would tell me that you went seriously looking for something I wanted or needed!!

As to a baby shower - heck no!!! I got some of the best clothes from my Girlfriend via a garage sale!!!

I found a book that my dad had been looking for for years at a garage sale - when I sent it to him - he cried...he was sooo EXCITED!!!

I regift all the time. I don't think it's tacky at all. My mom does a lot of her christmas shopping at yard sales. She feels it's better than not getting her grandchildren anything because she can't afford it. They love it!

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If someone gave me something used, I would not be offended at all. Especially if it's something I need or want. I'd be super grateful that they thought of me.

So far as ME giving used gifts, there's a differance in used and vintage. Sometimes you can come across something so unique that it makes a great gift.. If I know someone is a collector of vintage cameras and I come across an old camera at a garage sale, I would wrap that and be proud to present it. If I'm going to a baby shower, I wouldn't normally wrap up used baby clothes. Unless I came across an amazing find of beautiful, handmade, vintage, or immculate things that still had tags.

No way, I think it is great. We all need so many things and have so many financial obligations. I would rather get something nice that was regifted or purchased second hand than something new that is a piece of junk ;) I bought my boys a little Diego car like 4 yrs ago for $5 at a garage sale and if someone else would have giving me a nice gift like that I would have never even thought about if it was second hand. That thing is still going strong :D So no, I wouldn't mind at all and I don't mind re-gifting either if the item is still in great condition.

Nope. There's nothing wrong with it as long as what ever it is in good condition.
Many people I know would be THRILLED to receive an antique (and many of those have been used a lot) if it happens to be what they collect.

it depends some of the most thoughful gifts can be used, somethnig antique, collectors item, old book that meant something, but i;d say for a baby shower if someone brought a used high chair it'd seem tacky, but to call a friend and say hey i found a used ...do you want it is diferent then gifiting it at a party

Desperate times call for desperate measures :)

I think condition is the key, as others are saying.

Last Christmas, after my husband and I had been under-employed for 6 months (he was substitute teaching, I was trying to get a temp job), I realized my teen daughter's barely used DK craft book set + a very nice Robert Louis Stevenson poetry book would be really great for my great-nieces/great-nephew. I told one of my nieces (the mom of the girls) but I don't think I told the other one. Then I added a $10 gift card to the mix for each child.

The niece whom I hadn't told even asked me to sign the poetry book and I felt funny but, really, all of the books were in mint condition.

This year, we are both employed & I plan to indulge the little ones! :)

* I would probably not give a used item to a baby shower or wedding.
Garage sales: TUPPERWARE! Oodles & oodles of it. I am a sick person.

Last time I went, found the perfect book shelf for $5. The hubs did a little gluing & voila! I have found so much stuff over the years, it is unreal. Oh -- shoes for my daughter -- several sizes of dress shoes that she grew into.

I regift and my bestie is the queen of regifting lol.

It really just depends - most of the times the things i regift are items the kids got for birthdays/christmas that were never opened or unnecessary - i have a gift closet that i keep stocked and a lot of items end up there.

I am not a garage saler and if the item looked obviously used i'd probably be a little turned off. that said - i am a bargain shopper extraordinaire and i'm always picking up items for "future needs" without any particular person in mind. i bought a princess dress last year after christmas for $3 - picked up some clearance jewelry for .80 from Kohls - and gave it as a bday gift to my friends little girl - she LOVED it.

Giving new gifts doesn't have to be expensive and regifting doesn't have to be tacky - it's all about delivery and intent.

I think it depends upon the person receiving it. Do they themselves shop garage sales? If not, then they just MIGHT be offended esp. for a wedding gift when they've paid out big money for the guests to attend. I personally wouldn't give anything obviously used as a gift unless I knew the person well and knew for a fact that they wouldn't be offended or it was a keepsake/collector/antique item they had been looking for.

Now I have said to a distant relative "oh, I found this cute shelf at a yard sale that matches your baby's nursery and so I picked it up for you" but I wouldn't pass it along as a gift. In fact, I had already bought and presented her a new gift at her baby shower.

But don't get me wrong I love your idea & there is nothing wrong wtih it but I do believe SOME would be offended.

I agree with Amy, while I love garage shopping I know others think it's disgusting to reuse things people have. I am just selective with who and what I give things to. But as a whole, I too love the recycling things and how cheap it is.

I am not a garage saler, but I have given people books off of my bookshelves for gifts several times. I always be sure it is something they would enjoy or would be helpful to them. I don't care if they know that it is "used" as long as it is thoughtful. I do this somewhat to keep my cost down, but also because I feel that these gifts are more personal than a card with money in it, or something similar.

I got this idea from a book group that I was in for nine years. Each year at holiday time we would have a gathering and each bring a wrapped book off of our own bookshelf to give as a gift.

I honestly believe its the thought that counts and if its something that you feel someone would love, why not??? I wouldn't be offended if someone gave me something from a garage sale etc. There are countless items I have come across that I have given as gifts because I saw them and knew that a certain person would love them. No issues with that.

M

I have both given and received treasured gifts that were used, clean, and sometimes tenderly refurbished or enhanced.

Since my husband and I have operated a beloved but low-paying non-profit for 30 years, we don't have the income to get sucked into the belief that showing love or respect means giving new and expensive gifts. For us, it's still the thought that counts. Social 'expectations' are simply not always realistic, especially now that so many families are struggling with economic challenges.

I wouldn't give a used bday or shower gift unless the item I purchased at the garage sale was actually brand new or in perfectly brand new condition. I have purchased items at garage sales that I've given to people...not to give as a gift...just a little something I think they would like. I have to say that people have given me used gifts or just passed something on to me which they claim is "still in such great condition." Well, good condition to them may not be good condition to me. A bit off the subject, but I've been given garage sale items/hand me downs that have been so terrible filthy, ruined, etc. I was insulted. They were things that simply needed to be thrown away...not even donated.
I'm venting now. I'm not saying you would ever do this. :)

I would say a shower or wedding is not the place to give used gifts. I LOVE 2nd hand items and garage sale items, however, I don't think that they should be given as a formal gift. You can always give them to her before or after the shower and then have a little card with a small gift certificate to give for the actual "gift giving" time.

Are you serious????? If someone knew I'd love a #1, 2, 4 or 5 vintage Barbie and found one at a yard or garage sale, I would do great bodily harm if they didn't snatch it up for me!!!!!! Same with rummage sales. It's amazing what can be found. What's the saying? One man's junk is another man's treasure.
The person better know me pretty well to know what my tastes are, that I've been looking for this or that, or knows my home well enough to know it'd go p;erfectly with it.
I've found great stuff on shopgoodwill.com for myself, but my cousin and sister too.

I would never do this. Sorry. I don't come from a place where this is common. I would not have been pleased to get used items as baby and wedding gifts. Now, if I knew someone collected something such as Hummels, and I found one at the flea market and I knew this person would just DIE to get this one in their collection and often buys them used, I might consider it. But I wouldn't buy yard sale wine glasses or exersaucers when invited to an event. I'd buy a less expensive item as a new gift.

Wouldnt bother me at all. I love Garage sales. It really is true when they say "One man's trash, is another man's treasure" or Woman in this case ;)

I have found so much cool stuff doing that and for super cheap. I have found furniture, pictures, all kinds of things.

My favorite my headboard. It is really old fashioned looking, antique, and the paint was chipping, so we spray painted it to match our bedroom.

Love refinishing stuff to make it look cool either to keep or give away.

Tacky if you are wrapping it and passing it off as a store bought gift, especially as a shower gift. Its less tacky if you are using full disclosure. I've been given garage sale clothing by my SIL. She says "I found this great deal on baby clothes and I thought of you and I couldn't pass it up". Now I can appreciate that (but only because we are really close, and fyi, i couldn't bring myself to keep most of them) My mother did the same thing and its the same story, i gave them away. I love flea market style as much as the next person, half my furniture is flea market, but clothing is another story. I also had a treasure finder friend who found things she thought screamed "me" and gave them as a gift. But as a "just because" gift, not wedding or baby shower. Now thats sweat. But if you are going to do it, we are talking full disclosure here to people you are really close to. But not wedding and baby shower. Wrapping used things up and passing them off as store bought is tacky. Giving them for wedding and baby showers- tac tac tacky. As a "just because" gift to someone close to you with full disclosure that its a flea market find. Thats cool. Now regifting? tacky for a wedding shower (fyi, i knew which gifts were regifted so beware, if you do it, it won't go unnoticed. I didn't mind because all my regifts were from people I barely knew and it was the thought that counted. Just don't think you are going to get away with it. I think regifting for baby showers is okay if the tags are on. Again I say, passing flea marked finds off as store bought is really tacky.

Depends on the item. I for one love books, that are sadly often out of print. The ONLY way to get them is used. And my DD will continue to get used books and CDs from the library sale for Christmas because they are cheap and in good shape. Now, I did give my sister used items for her son, but they weren't for the shower. However, he will get a toy I got as an auction item, still with the tags on. My sister is fine with this. Our cousin is not. She wouldn't even use items between her OWN children - went all new on the stroller and bathtub and everything. I regift items that are still new that we never used, like a book my DD has duplicate of or a shirt that was the wrong size. Nothing that the recipient might need to exchange, though.

i wouldn't mind it all

I bought a gently used coach wallet for my sister once and she was happy with it. I think if it's great condition why not.

One woman's trash is another woman's treasure! I agree with the people who say there should be full disclosure though, instead of trying to pass the gift off as something new.

I wouldn't do it for a shower but you could do it for a birthday for someone close to you if you're sure it's the right thing. I'd probably let them know though.

I shop thrift shops and garage sales for myself but would NEVER give something I bought there as a gift UNLESS it still had its tags on it and was brand new.

If I or hubby or kids gets a new gift that we don't like or won't use, I will regift it to someone else, but like I said, only if its new with the tags still on it.

My latest great buy I got at Goodwill was 4 of those Partylite 3 wick candle holders. They are $40+ each new and I got them for $2 each! Yippee!!!

I think re-gifting is awesome. It gets good use more than once. However, if the recipient wouldn't think so, I'd get something within my price range that's new.

Like you wrote, if it's something they want, need, could use, and is good/great
condition it's wonderful.

I've been encouraging my family to do that for the holidays. I got my daughter in law something she had wanted for 1/4 the price. She knew it was used and chose it over the new one (she got to keep the difference in $).

Especially with baby items, they are practically new anyway.

HTH, S.

P/S I can't wait to see what others think.

It doesn't bother me if it's something I've shown interest in or if it's something sentimental. I don't mind gently used hand-me-down clothes and toys and furniture for my baby, but I don't want that from just anybody for my newborn. I would prefer that only new stuff be gifted at a wedding or shower, unless previously discussed. Anybody wanting to give me something used should give it to me separately.