Readers React: Why giving gift cards to kids does them no good
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To the editor: Please reconsider giving gift cards, especially to children. Gift cards usually replace cash, But children learn nothing about handling money when they receive a gift card. (“Have gift cards become the modern day sweater? An expert weighs in,” Dec. 24)
Receiving a cash gift is an opportunity to decide to save, give, invest and maybe spend (I write that message to the child on the accompanying card). The user may even get a chance to count change. Receiving a gift card means spend — and only at the given store.
And then there is the consumer loss when gift cards are used for purchases less than the face value of the card. Often, the cards are tossed or forgotten or even lost without ever being used.
Gift cards are one more contribution to our dumbing-down culture.
Gail Mills, Toluca Lake
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