posted
When John was born we got some cards with money in them, which we put into a college fund for him. Registering for it seems a little weird, though. Same with "honeymoon registeries" and "first home purchase registries." In general, I guess I think that if people are going to give money they should just give money. Gift registeries are so that if you buy towels or china they will match the bathroom or other placesettings. Since there's no worry about whether your check will match the couple's/baby's bank account I don't see the point.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
(Oh, and we don't do baby registries at all. We accept whatever people want to give us. I was asked last time to suggest a group gift, and since they didn't feel like going and getting the big heavy double stroller and wrapping it they just gave me a gift card to get it myself.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
The point, as far as I can see, is to gently (or not so gently) encourage potential gifters to specifically give money. And that's why it seems terribly gauche to me.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
I found the baby registry terrifying and overwhelming. Also, only like 2 people bought stuff off of it (both out of state family who shipped me gifts and shopped online).
Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Would it be better or worse, do you think, if this were only sent to those who had already asked "are you registered anywhere?" What about if it were given along with other more traditional registries?
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
If it was merely an option as part of a more traditional registry? Yeah, that would make more sense. Kinda fits the "in lieu of flowers" type of thinking, except that's generally toward a particular charity. In this case, the charity is your (potential) kids, which is still pretty selfish.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
I don't think it HAS to be tacky, although I am sure it is used that way more often than not. As one of many options, it seems kinda cool.....my Grandma would have used it, being a teacher herself. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
I don't think it's tacky or gauche. And I imagine there may be a lot of Chinese/Indian/other ethnicities using it, since those cultures consider the giving of money in certain situations a cultural norm.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I think that this, like all registries, is fine as long as it isn't advertised. It is available for those who ask, but the existence of the registry isn't sent out to anyone who may give a gift.
That goes for bridal and baby registries too. It drives me crazy when the registries appear on the wedding invitations.
Posts: 1753 | Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Ditto. Though I've become sadly resigned to it.
Mostly, I don't believe in student loans and I hope my kids don't have them. So I'm also against the idea they support.
[edit: I guess student loans are okay for medical/nursing school, and certain other situations. But I don't think anyone should take out a loan for the general process of self-exploration that college was for me. Once you know who you are, I'll invest in it.]
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Originally posted by pooka: Mostly, I don't believe in student loans and I hope my kids don't have them. So I'm also against the idea they support.
I'm tying not to take this personally, since helping college students get loans and other financial aid is a big part of my job. I agree that all other options should be explored first, and that the absolutely minimum amount of debt should be taken on. However, not everyone has managed to save enough money for college. What, exactly, do you suggest for someone who is actually using college for a specific goal? Because very little of the population I deal with is in college to "find themselves."
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I definitely, definitely used college just to explore and "find myself." I was careful to graduate with a useful degree, at least.
College in Utah - even out of state tuition for the most expensive schools - is, by comparison with the rest of the country, downright cheap. Utah State gets "best bargain" awards all the time. It was actually possible to get a job paying $7/hour over the summer and be able to pay tuition for the next year with it (although not living expenses on top of it).
When that's the price tag, taking out loans as opposed to taking a semester off to work enough to pay for the next year does seem a little self-indulgent.
I realize the situation is different when tuition is much more expensive.
Posts: 1753 | Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Given the difference in pay between work for a semester without a college degree and work for a semester with a college degree, taking a semester off so one doesn't have student loans probably results in having less money than not taking the semester off and taking out the loans. The difference in earnings is that large.
Even the average starting salary for a liberal arts major is just over $30k.
There might be other benefits to taking a semester off to work, particularly in certain circumstances, of course.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
I don't see how it's self-indulgent to take out loans if you're going to be the one paying them off - in the end, it's all your money you're spending. And if you can get a $20/hour job out of college, slowing down your schooling to work a $7/hour job rather than taking out a loan seems a little shortsighted.
edit: fugu beat me to it.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I think the idea is that not everyone who takes out student loans actually graduates from college. While a job with a degree pays a great deal more, an extra semester with no degree paid for by a loan doesn't.
Hence, the encouragement to avoid student loans until your senior year or grad school, so you CAN interupt your schooling or make other plans or wander around after graduation or do something completely different without rushing to get a job because the student loan payments are starting.
If you're not in a hurry to join the corporate world, taking an extra semester in order to graduate with your freedom could be really worth it.
Posts: 1753 | Registered: Aug 2002
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