WWYD with " half gift"

[Anonymous]

My son's grandmother offered to buy him a musical instrument for his last birthday. We went through a company that allows you to rent for x amount of months and the money spent on renting is then used as a credit towards the purchase. Once the rental portion was done, she began stalling on making the payment (approx half of the amount is still left). This as supposed to be a gift from her and now she's putting it on me and asking me how much I can contribute. There is a deadline and then it's too late to make the purchase and the rental credit is lost. It looks like she not going to put anything else towards it so I'm on my own

It will be a financial hardship (I would have to put it on a credit card and pay it off slowly) but do I just buy it for him instead of wasting the rental credit? Half of the item is paid for, it seems silly to waste that. Or should I just let it go since I can't afford it?

[Anonymous]

The rental credit is only helpful if 1. you have the money to pay for the rest of the expense, and 2. your son needs the instrument on an ongoing basis.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't say he needs it, because he has access to one through school. But it's nice for him to have and I think he will continue playing as a hobby.

[Anonymous]

IS this your mother or your MIL? If it is your mom, you should just say straightaway that contributing would be a financial hardship and that you thought it was a gift.

If it is your MIL, your husband (or your son's father) should talk to her about it.

[Anonymous]

Only buy if you can afford it. Otherwise return it and buy when you can.

[Anonymous]

Just continue to rent, or use the school instrument for free.

Unless your child is a teen, he will grow out of the instrument several times over the elementary/middle school years. There is no point in buying the instrument unless he has finished growing.

If you feel you must buy, check out craigslist. Child sized instruments regularly get listed there for very cheap.

I once found a family selling 2 violins (I believe 1/4 and 1/2 sizes) for under $50.00 each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just continue to rent, or use the school instrument for free.

Unless your child is a teen, he will grow out of the instrument several times over the elementary/middle school years. There is no point in buying the instrument unless he has finished growing.

If you feel you must buy, check out craigslist. Child sized instruments regularly get listed there for very cheap.

I once found a family selling 2 violins (I believe 1/4 and 1/2 sizes) for under $50.00 each.

+1 for craigslist or ebay.

what instrument?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just continue to rent, or use the school instrument for free.

Unless your child is a teen, he will grow out of the instrument several times over the elementary/middle school years. There is no point in buying the instrument unless he has finished growing.

If you feel you must buy, check out craigslist. Child sized instruments regularly get listed there for very cheap.

I once found a family selling 2 violins (I believe 1/4 and 1/2 sizes) for under $50.00 each.

Doesn't that depend on the instrument? In our household growing up we played trombone, flute, recorder, and piano, none of which have different sizes.

[Anonymous]

Given the financial impact you describe, I wouldn't do it.

Make sure you grandma know before the credit lapses that you aren't going to be able to cover her promise.

That way, if she is able to come up with the money after all, it won't be too late to use it.

You might also refer grandma to craiglist if that turns out to be a less expensive way to purchase the instrument.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't go into debt for an instrument unless I was very certain he had s poison for playing.

[Anonymous]

Passion, or poison?

Anyway. Definitely tell the Grandma about the deadline. Also tell her that now you are in an awkward situation - you had understood that she was making 100% of the contributions and you cannot really afford to buy this yourself, thus setting up her beloved grandson for disappointment.
However, if it is a financial hardship for Grandma, don't expect anything. You'll just know for next time that she can't be trusted.

Don't put anything on the credit card. Just go with the school instrument.

[Anonymous]

PP here/ Watch for Craigslist - there is some truly bad quality out there. As a (former) violinist with a violinist daughter, a piece of junk will never be worth the money spent on it. An "unknown" violin should ideally be brought to the instructor for inspection before you agree to buy it. Impossible to do on Craigslist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here/ Watch for Craigslist - there is some truly bad quality out there. As a (former) violinist with a violinist daughter, a piece of junk will never be worth the money spent on it. An "unknown" violin should ideally be brought to the instructor for inspection before you agree to buy it. Impossible to do on Craigslist.

Thanks so much for this tip!

[Anonymous]

Just get it from school. Don't go into debt over a hobby. Unless he is very gifted, he won't play it once he graduates from his high school band class.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. Don't go into debt for it. I've seen so many kids lost interest in instruments.
Don't view the rental credit as lost $$ -- many people rent things and return them. The money went towards the rental, and the experience.