Present for niece - any help much appreciated

[mangaman]

My niece is now about to be 19 and is a student at Liverpool University.

She has had all the typical studenty leaving home for the first time presents (eg some cooking stuff / kettle / cookbook)

Really what she wants is some money I suspect, which is fine, but boring. Unfortunately she said the same at Christmas and just giving her money every birthday/Christmas feels like a cop-out.

Rather than give her a wad more cash I was wandering if a token for a clothes store would be better (that's what she will spend the money on)

Not being a 19 year old girl does anyone know which stores she would frequent, or even if it's a stupid idea and I just send her a cheque?

Any advice from realistic respondants would be much appreciated - so (for the sake of argument) I would doubtless enjoy a contribution from Patrick, but probably ignore it.

 

[dellzeqq]

Top Shop. It's a whole lot better than it used to be. Really nice stuff - and, yes, they do tokens - and I think they do them over the phone.

 

[Crankarm]

Pics of niece and what she's into might help.

 

[TVC]

Pics of niece and what she's into might help.

Are you asking Mangaman to pimp his niece?


Assuming that she has a flash phone, then credit at an apps store.

 

[mangaman]

Pics of niece and what she's into might help.

Not sure about the piccs Cranky!

She's into music - sings in a band, and I guess fashion / boys

 

[mangaman]

Top Shop. It's a whole lot better than it used to be. Really nice stuff - and, yes, they do tokens - and I think they do them over the phone.

Thanks - that's the sort of thing that I need. May sound boring to an old fart such as me, but she would like

 

[CycleChat]

pot noodles for uni

 

[Landslide]

Or H+M?

A much nicer shopping environment too, none of that loud, blaring music etc...

[/showingmyage]

 

[dellzeqq]

Or H+M?

A much nicer shopping environment too, none of that loud, blaring music etc...

[/showingmyage]

I think you might be...

How about a lamp? I realise that this is a bit odd, but it's nice to take something of your own around with you as you move from halls to digs and then on in to your first flat (or kip down at your uncles for a couple of years - and don't think I don't know what I'm talking about...). A nice big table lamp or free-standing jobby, which you could order through Johnny Looloos and she could pick up at JL in Liverpool might go down well......

 

[Greedo]

Pics of niece and what she's into might help.

Steady!!!!!

 

[brokenbetty]

Honestly, I'd give her the cash. It's like a voucher you can use anywhere In my experience vouchers never get spent: I rarely plan to go to shop X, I just "go to the shops" or pop in when I'm passing, so I never manage to have the right voucher to hand.

If you feel cash is too impersonal, give her a little less cash and a piece of cheap but funky jewellery (or if she shops online, a voucher for an online shop) She's going to be moving a lot over the next few years, small gifts will be easiest to keep hold of.

Practical ideas for students setting out on their own: a microwave, a wok, a cuddly blanket, a giant sized tea mug, slippers. Stuff to make home feel a bit more like home, if you see what I mean. Or if she's the type who would use it, a second hand sewing machine! A basic tool kit is also a very handy thing to have around.

(When I left home 18 years ago, I got some Le Creuset pans and a Black and Decker hammer drill, and they are both still going strong)

 

[beanzontoast]

If she hasn't got a sandwich toaster, that would get my vote.

 

[wafflycat]

Give her the money, or, remembering what student food budgets can be like, how about popping into your local T*s*o or S**nsb*ry and getting some vouchers to spend in there. Ok, so it may go on booze, but it leaves the meagre student budget for other stuff. The other option is booktokens for Waterstones - so she can put it towards the cost of a course book or two, as academic books can be horrendously expensive.

Edit: of course if you want to be entirely practical yet excruciatingly embarrassing, give her a large box of condoms.

 

[levad]

If she hasn't got a sandwich toaster, that would get my vote.

That's almost just like the original request, just some dough

 

[upsidedown]

When my daughter moved into student digs she asked for an Xbox 360 !! Something to pass the hours away i guess.
Failing that, New Look and Primark seem to be the shops of choice at the moment.