Giving tree help

[maestramommy]

this morning I was browsing through the Giving tree at our church. There are tags for whole families, kids, older adults. It makes me so sad because the recommended spending limit is $50, which I didn't know at first, and one family's tag said "Stop n Shop gift card." When I asked the signup person about it she said, "Well most of these are necessities (they sure were!), and so for this family they would like money for groceries." $50 for groceries? I want to cry. :(

Anyway I finally decided on a Mom in her 30s. We are told we don't have to give everything on the list, but if there is a specific item, like a $10 GC, please get that. So her list reads:

Warm socks, gloves, CD player, GC to grocery store, gas card, twin sheets for kids. (Family doesn't own a computer or TV-no iTunes cards or DVDs).

So now I'm torn. Do I buy only a couple of items and spend more on higher quality? Or do I spend less and try to get more items? Dh asked which were the kind of things that would be used long term. Well all of them were like that except for the GC I guess.

And now I want to run back and grab a card for another 30s mom who asked for socks, blanket, and other similar items. I had such a hard time deciding between the two of them. dh said I should just do them both. He did two (his work does Angel tree too, and he picked two little kids).

[Melaine]

Do you have to only do $50? I would be tempted to go over when the requests are such true needs. It really does break your heart!

I would probably look for socks, gloves, and sheets at Walmart and just find the cheapest decent quality things you can find. I still have jersey sheets from Walmart that I paid $10 for in college. They have held up well and are super soft and comfy. I would get a cheap boombox and maybe try to put whatever money you felt like you could on gift cards after that.

ETA: Sorry, wrong link.

[amldaley]

I'd cheat. Spend $50 on her AND get the sheets for the kids as a seperate gift.

[maestramommy]

Yes, I think we have to stay within the $50 limit. I guess in the past the gifts ended up being very unequal because some people would spend over $200, but of course many/most people can't do that! So they instituted this limit, but even said you don't have to spend as much as $50. I guess they want to give even families who are on a tight budget to participate if they want to.

What I'm wondering about is the CD player. If I give that, do I assume she has CDs, or should I get her just one as a starter? We have a CD boombox that I got at Target for $20, and it's still going strong.

[kijip]

Here is what I have done in the past.

Get the gifts you can for the $50 limit and then get a gift card and put it inside of something else and wrap it together. Cheating? Yes. But somehow I doubt it will count against me when it matters.

I would also suggest in the future that your church does sep. tags for each gift. This is what I did for my old job. Every tag had a family and a person code on it (tiny and out of the way) and I put a single item on each gift tag so that there could be multiple tags for each person and family. Then people with small budgets could participate by buying one gift, and people with larger budgets could take as many tags as they wanted. We took cash donations and filled in the holes at the end. Another solution is to do a drive for gifts and separately for gift cards for food. Then just give each family a share of the gift cards. We used to ask for $10 and $25 ones and then give them out per person in the family.

Of the things on her tag, if you get a cd player I would assume she has some CDs or access to them at the library. I would prob. get the sheets first and then get her the warm socks and gloves and tuck a gift card in there somewhere. Check the clearance section...you may luck out on the sheets and then be able to squeeze in that $20 cd player.

[TwinFoxes]

I'm a bit of a angel tree-aholic. I personally would go over the $50 limit. Not $200 over, but I would spend $80-90 if I felt it would really help the family out. Like a $50 grocery gift card and sheets, I'd have no problem with.

As for the CD player, assume she has CDs. I'm not 100% sure you can get most music on CDs any longer. And how would you know what to get?

[maestramommy]

Thanks Katie! Actually that is a good suggestion on separating items. There is already a code system for these tags. The church is working with 5 different orgs, so first the tags are colored coded. Then on the tag is written a number (mine was A-6, for example). when you pick a tag, you have to write your name and info on a signup sheet for each org. I'm thinking that if the church separated the items the result would be a couple hundred tags, and that could get dicey. When I looked at the kid tags, there was their name, age and clothing size, then the gift ideas had both toys and clothes. Depending on the age of the kid I think it would be hard to stay in the spending limit. Some kids needed winter jackets. So I could see separating some of these out. I will ask the Deacons in charge about it the next time I see her.

Good suggestion on the "surprise" GC too. :thumbsup:

[ha98ed14]

If it was me, assuming I could afford all of it, I would buy all the stuff gifts and try to get it for $50, but wouldn't be put off at spending $75 if necessary. Then I would buy a gc to the grocery store and hide it in the CD player in the box. No one will look in there and when she opens it to put in a CD, there it is. Can't be missed.

ETA: Unless you have to turn in receipts for the items, how will they know if the sheets were $15 or $20, etc.?

[kijip]

Bargain hunters...what can you find for this family?

Here are some sheets at Kohl's for $12.25, she needs how many sets?

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/bedroom/sheets/kids/PRD~c24136/Home+Classics+Aqua+Dots+Sheet+Set.jsp

When I was shopping like a madwoman for the holidays (so many people would just write my organization a check and I would then run around with pages of lists finding deals), my buy price for sheets was $8-15 a set depending on the size. The best place was the clearance rack at Macy's, so many charter club flannel and jersey sheet sets on low mark down, even before our old 22% Macy's discount, they would be like $10 a set or so, sometimes less.

[maestramommy]

It doesn't say how many kids she has. Just says, "twin sheets for kids." I was assuming two kids for no particular reason. Well I am glad I have a sitter for the next two afternoons because I am going to do some SERIOUS bargain hunting.

[TwinFoxes]

Home Goods, TJ Maxx, and Ross are good bets. Also agree that Macy's has good sheet prices.

I'm sure your church is trying to discouraged the $200 Uggs for a ten year old, vs spending an extra $30 for sheets. Good luck shopping, have fun. :)

[maestramommy]

I'm sure your church is trying to discouraged the $200 Uggs for a ten year old, vs spending an extra $30 for sheets. Good luck shopping, have fun. :)

If only it were that easy! Almost every tag I looked at for families and older adults were necessities only. Even the kids had clothes that were needed. But I get your point about the uggs:p The funny thing is, I think almost all of the people in my church probably wouldn't buy $200 uggs for an Angel tree gift. Somehow I just can't see it, even though the members here are incredibly generous.

[Melaine]

Sheets for $8 at Walmart....and good reviews. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Get-it-Together-Microfiber-Bedding-Sheet-Set/16594995

CD for $32. http://www.biglots.com/search/product/4248
I bet there is a cheaper CD in store, but that's all I'm finding on the website.

[maestramommy]

Sheets for $8 at Walmart....and good reviews. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Get-it-Together-Microfiber-Bedding-Sheet-Set/16594995

CD for $32. http://www.biglots.com/search/product/4248
I bet there is a cheaper CD in store, but that's all I'm finding on the website.


Awesome, thanks! If I don't see them in the store today, I'll order tonight!