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Groupon hell. I’ve had good groupons. Coffee discounts come to mind, compression socks, race discounts. But I always eyed the home improvement ones was just too much of a procrastinator to actually get one. I mean who wouldn’t want their windows washed or maid service or chimneys swept for $49? I may not have snagged one of these home improvement deals, but the caveman did. At last we were getting our furnace ducts cleaned. I scheduled the appt. easily enough then waited the 3 hour window. The guy showed up at the stroke of the last minute of the last hour. Why is it always like this? Have you ever seen a service guy in the first hour? Ever?? I was immediately turned off because said guy reeked of smoke. He hooked something up to the furnace, went about the house counting ducts then we talked about ‘the contract’. To make a long story short, what was a $49 Groupon turned out to be a $1700+ estimate of work. All of which I was unprepared to pay, since I did zero research on ducts, returns, furnaces, furnaces filters, dryer vents and the like. This was the Caveman’s Groupon. Sigh. I consented to him doing a mere fraction of the work but part of me wonders if I should have just sent him on his way. What would $49 have covered? My warning to you about home improvement Groupons: Buyer beware. I suspect in almost all cases, the ending bill will be more than you paid for the Groupon. Live and learn. Do you buy a lot of Groupons? Do you remember to use them? Have you had a bad Groupon experience?
Gifting. When you receive a gift you do not like, do you tell the person who gave it to you? I’m all for honesty….mostly….but unless something blatantly does not fit, I go with the little white lie. Maybe it’s the way I was raised because even as a kid, I never have. Yet, more than a couple of times people have come out and told me things like “I just don’t really like this” or “I would never wear this” “I just don’t need this” and, here’s the kicker…expect me to return it, even when the gift receipt is right there. What say you? Am I being overly sensitive? Or is this bad manners? Maybe I’m a crappy gifter? All of the above?
Grumpy. Could you tell? I think the frigid air and lack of sunlight are wearing on me. I’ll bet my vitamin D levels are tanking. Holiday stress doesn’t help, I’m sure. Are you affected by the shorter daylight at this time of year?
Any fun weekend plans? Did you enter my Diet-to-Go and Thorlo giveaways?
What!? Why would you tell someone you didn’t like their gift?? That’s so rude. I usually do the white lie thing or don’t say anything at all and quietly exchange it.
I occasionally use Groupons and all my experiences have been good.
yes, i am missing the sunshine already but we have a LONG winter in the NE.
I love Groupons for restaurants and yoga but don’t usually do services. I learned my lesson with a gnarly haircut. I don’t think we get as many good deals around here since it’s a smaller area so I don’t buy that often.
I have never purchases a Groupon – kinda chicken – and sosrry you are feeling Grumpy… sending you a big virtual hug so Grumpy can become Smiley!
I think the gift thing is very awkward. When my husband and I were first together he bought me an expensive pair of earrings I knew I would never wear…. and he asked me to be honest so I was, as gently as possible and we returned them for a pair I really loved, together.
OMG that is awful about the Groupon! We used to buy Groupons like crazy but after a few bad experiences we stopped… it seemed like it was more for companies that were struggling and their last attempt to stay in business? And so our experiences were never the best.
I would never tell someone that I hated their gift. I think that is rude. The person put thought into the gift and thought it was a good fit for you for some reason. Plus your taste can change so who knows, put it in your closet and in a year, it may become your favorite thing 🙂
I ALWAYS get ridiculous gifts from MIL. She just got me $85 Ugg earmuffs from Nieman Marcus. She has known me for 16 years. A) I don’t wear earmuffs B) I don’t shop at Nieman’s and C) They are UGG-LY! Thank her for solving a problem I don’t have!
I’ve heard similar issues with home improvement groupons. I’ve only bought a couple products, so no similar issues.
I’m with you on the little white lie, unless it’s someone I’m close enough to that they’ll be buying me gifts in the future. Then, only if they ask, I MIGHT gently tell my thoughts about the gift. Maybe. That’s a pretty delicate thing. I have to admit that last Christmas my husband gave me a hideous gray plastic pair of totes boots that look like something a really unfashionable grandma would wear. I had given him a picture of what I wanted and was so taken aback by what I opened that I burst out with, “Oh, I’m going to be returning THESE!”
Not my proudest moment, and my adult kids still give me a hard time about it.
Wow on the gifting! Who are these people? You need to remove them from your list in the future! ; )
I swear, the Groupon business model was written with me in mind. I’m the one who always forgets them and never uses them. The only one I remember using was for a restaurant. Warning–never go to the restaurant first weekend after Groupon ran. They are overwhelmed and service will stink!
Have a great weekend!
I have been trying to remember my vit d supps since I KNOW I haven’t gotten enough sunlight. If you vent this post to Groupon, they may give you your $49 back. I had a month of boot camp groupon that wanted me to buy $40 of stretchy bands for the class. I complained to groupon because it didn’t say anything in the fine print that I had to buy more stuff to use my groupon & they gave me my $ back.
I pretend I like it. I would stop buying for people who are too honest. How rude.
I would have kicked the guy to the curb. Then complain to the Groupon people (if you can do that). I’ve never bought a Groupon deal although I think I should, there’s some good stuff.
I would NEVER complain about a holiday gift. Isn’t it the thought that counts? I thought it was.
You aren’t grumpy. Although I’m suffering the same temperatures and may be in the exact state of mind. Ha!
Yikes!! I always wondered about the whole Groupon thing – I haven’t used a single one.
Never used Groupons and never complained about a holiday gift.
Here we are going towards the shortest day of the year, now it’s “night” at 05.00 p.m. Indeed I like to see the lights in the dark, especially during Christmas time.
I’ve never used a Groupon for a service and after reading this – I probably won’t now!
Wow you know some pretty rude people. And expecting you to take it back as well – that’s unbelievable.
I have a certain relative (whom I adore, luckily) who has NEVER liked a single gift I have given her. Several Christmases in a row she has just left the gift at my house, saying it was too hard to take back with her. Oddly enough, when she visits, she often raids my closet and wears my clothes.
This year, for her birthday, I didn’t send her anything and she was clearly miffed. Humpf.
Off to take some Vitamin D. Thanks for reminding me (and letting me get that off my chest)!
Groupons sound SOOOOOOOOOO GREAT on your iPhone, but then you buy them and think, Wait… WHY DID I DO THAT?!?!? I have bought about 3 of them, one of the I ADORED – because it was a cheap massage at this place I adore, but the others, meh… I didn’t use them all! I bought sessions at BAR classes and a pilates place, the times just weren’t okay and to be honest, I HATE group classes, I bought these because my friends begged me to!! UGH – I WILL NOT do it again!!!!!!!!! I will however, give friends GROUPON GIFT CARDS because it seems as though they like groupon a bit more than me! lol
People that tell you they don’t like gifts are being rude IMHO. If they expect you to return it, consider returning it, keeping the money, and not getting them a replacement. How is that for grumpy? 🙂
I did a groupon for private shooting lessons. It was fantastic and I made sure my teenage son learned about gun safety (plus we shot some cool guns).
Holy Cow!!! Are you serious? Someone would tell you that they didn’t like your gift for them? That’s not honesty, it is rudeness and ungrateful. People should be grateful for the gift, return it on their own and go on with it. Geez. lol. I am glad my friends are too dishonest for this kind of honesty. lol.
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