Very wealthy family member gets very cheap gifts

[Anonymous]

I usually bring back coffee mugs, local spices or if within United States local beer/liquor that everyone I know rolls their eyes at but uses. Then whenever I luck up and the spice mix was good they always ask for more and then we can never remember which spices it was or which trip it came from.

[Anonymous]

Im confused. You expect grownups to give you, a grown up, a gift when they travel?

pretty sure the last time someone gave me a gift when traveling, I was a kid. and it was my aunt and she gave me stuff like the free shampoos from hotels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went out to dinner with a man and his family who have upwards of $1 billion in wealth. He had just donated $50 million to a good cause. When the bill came, he said he would cover the wine and that we could all split the check. I have no hard feelings over that. I have the money to pay for my own dinner and it was nice for him to pay for the wine. We're not entitled to receive anything from other people, and you would do well to remember that OP.

We have college friends who are very wealthy and never let us pick up the check or split or buy a bottle of wine. It makes me feel bad because we can afford it. We all started in the same place and now they have put themselves above us.

I just Venmo people after the fact who pull that consistently

[Anonymous]

I don’t give gifts to adults. A sibling makes north of $3 million a year and does not give gifts. I don’t think anything of it. We are adults…not children. Adults do not need gifts. You are acting like a petulant child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never bring back souvenirs. I’m wealthy. Souvenirs are just unwanted clutter, it’s not about economizing.

PP here. I agree. I don’t buy such things either nor do I want to receive them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not normal for adults to bring souvenirs for other adults that are not their spouse. Actually it would be very strange if they did.

This. The only person we buy a souvenir for is the neighbor who gets our mail while we are gone.

[Anonymous]

Nobody owes you souvenirs from their trips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never bring back souvenirs. I’m wealthy. Souvenirs are just unwanted clutter, it’s not about economizing.

PP here. I agree. I don’t buy such things either nor do I want to receive them.

Same, I don’t exchange souvenirs with anyone.

[Anonymous]

Who cares? Don’t overthink it. Many people (like me) hate stuff and gifts are mostly clutter and landfill.
Focus on relationships

[Anonymous]

DH and I are very wealthy and we bring certain relatives inexpensive gifts because they're so crass in always talking about how much everything costs. If we bought them expensive gifts, they'd comment on that in a negative way too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don't know what to make of, or how to reciprocate to this one extended family member. They are extremely wealthy, don't work and are always travelling private or business/ first to exotic destinations.
Every so often, they'll come back from one of their lavish trips with an extremely cheap gift such as a 2 oz jar of honey (for comparison, the free sample size you get at hotels is 1 oz), a shot glass, a 3 oz bar of chocolate, a cheap pen ...
This person does not spare any expense on themselves at all.

I don't make nearly as much as them but I always get proper gifts and put a lot of thought into them. I know I should be thankful for any gift and I certainly am not expecting any lavish gift . I am not sure what to make of this and I feel insulted.

Thoughts?

If you are purchasing many gifts for extended family when traveling they are going to be small for practical reasons. If they are low cost then it also takes the pressure off in terms of reciprocating.

Quit whining and be grateful. This person doesnt owe you a thing.

[Anonymous]

The things you listed are also small and don’t take up much space in your luggage to bring them back from a trip.

[Anonymous]

Probably their way of telling people to not waste money getting anything for them, and likewise they are not going to spend it on you. Not a bad thing imo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went out to dinner with a man and his family who have upwards of $1 billion in wealth. He had just donated $50 million to a good cause. When the bill came, he said he would cover the wine and that we could all split the check. I have no hard feelings over that. I have the money to pay for my own dinner and it was nice for him to pay for the wine. We're not entitled to receive anything from other people, and you would do well to remember that OP.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The things you listed are also small and don’t take up much space in your luggage to bring them back from a trip.

+1. Easier to travel with and a nice gesture.