Comments on: Your Regifting Stories

By: oldboyscout2

oldboyscout2 — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:22:45 +0000

What a GREAT idea:
“permission to regift” slip
Should be included with most every gift !

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:56:31 +0000

Another idea for this might be called a “mathom.” A mathom is a word used by J.R.R. Tolkien in the Hobbit. He derived it from Old English, and here is what he said about the word: ““Anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for, but were unwilling to throw away, they called a mathom. Their dwellings were apt to become rather crowded with mathoms, and many of the presents that passed from hand to hand were of that sort”.

I have a lot of these things and I always wait for just the right person who will enjoy them. I love giving mathoms and people love receiving them. Christine

By: Jay

Jay — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:37:25 +0000

Oh my gosh, I just found your blog and I LOVE it. Seriously love. My family all think I’m crazy for living like you do, and it’s great to see that there is someone else out there who actually prefers to get everything used.

I’ve seen a few other blogs by people who are avid thrifters, but you’re the first who isn’t all preachy about it – this is just how you live. I love your attitude about it. And your line about getting the ‘hippie ethic without the hippie aesthetic’ has made my day.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:30:51 +0000

When we got married ten years ago we received over a dozen pieces of crystal, vases, bowls, etc. I am not a crystal person and didn’t register for any of those items. We returned what we could, but had at least six we didn’t have gift receipts for. We did have quite a few weddings of friends to attend coming up, so I made sure the item we gave as a gift didn’t come from the new couple, and I didn’t buy a single wedding or shower present for over a year.

I worked for years at a large department store that received many promotional gifts from the vendors whose items we sold. The store would take these promos and give them out to the staff as rewards for top sales, great cust. service, etc. As a full time employee, I wound up with tons of sterling silver bracelets, Coach keyrings and picture frames, gym bags, cosmetic pouches and other items I would never use. So they all became gifts for birthdays and christmas.

By: Katy

Katy — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:15:09 +0000

Emily,

I’m really happy to hear you’ve caught the squished penny bug. I really do think they’re a lot of fun. And at 51 cents, they’re a bargain!

My faves are from the science fiction museum in Seattle, the Tillamook cheese factory (it’s a block of cheese!) and from Cape Foul Weather at the Oregon coast.

Katy Wolk-Stanley
The Non-Consumer Advocate

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:02:27 +0000

I love re-gifting! However, I’ve seen some re-gifting mistakes too. At 2 events I attended, I noticed that some gifts made their way back from the previous years. I think that’s ok if it’s a joke type gift – like everyone avoids the weird figurine each year – that actually is fun. But, when I saw a basket full of cute holiday kitchen towels, bakeware, coffee mug etc. re-appear, the person obviously forgot where they got it from. I make sure to put the super sticky post it labels on the gifts in my re-gifting pile & note who I got it from to save such embarrassment

By: Bekcky Kellogg

Bekcky Kellogg — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:21:00 +0000

Katy,

I work for The Weather Channel and I’d like to talk with you about your no heat challenge. It’s a perfect story for us to cover. Can you drop me a line at weekendview@weather.com please?

By: Emily

Emily — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:14:56 +0000

I’ve been wanting to thank you for “permission” to let my children collect smashed pennies. I always resisted, thinking they were a waste of money. But after reading your comments about them I relented and my two girls are now proud smashed penny collectors. They even got them at the Magic Kingdom – passing by all the plastic made in China stuff that would clutter up their rooms! My husband brought some home from a business trip to San Diego and the girls were thrilled at the “fancy presents”. Thank you, Katy, for a great idea!