Paul Lewing on tue 10 aug 04
on 8/10/04 5:46 AM, Mitch Kotula at mitchkotula@YAHOO.COM wrote:
> I do the certificates on my computer, in color. Be
> sure you have an expiration date, like 6 to 12 months
> of validity.
Mitch, that may actually be illegal. My wife, who's just setting up as a
massage therapist, is issuing gift certificates. She was told in school
that if the gift certificate has been paid for, there can be no expiration
date. I realize this is not exactly the situation you describe, as you're
not getting the money yourself, but keep it in mind if you let people give
you money for a gift certificate. And it may not be the law there in the
beautiful Bitterroot.
I agree that the value of having your work in most auctions is minimal.
When they tell me it'll be good exposure, I usually reply, "You can die of
exposure". I've never gotten even a call from someone who bought one of my
pieces at an auction.
I do donate to a fair number of them, though, if they're good causes. But I
almost always explain to the organizers that I get NOTHING for this. They
always tell me I can deduct it, but I can only deduct the cost of materials,
and I deducted those when I bought them. I can't deduct them twice.
Paul Lewing, Seattle
John Rodgers on wed 11 aug 04
Paul,
I have gift certificates from retail stores that have definte expiration
dates on them. Also, checks are sometimes written that have definite
expirations dates on the - thouse that is another issue.
Regards,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
Paul Lewing wrote:
>on 8/10/04 5:46 AM, Mitch Kotula at mitchkotula@YAHOO.COM wrote:
>
>
>
>>I do the certificates on my computer, in color. Be
>>sure you have an expiration date, like 6 to 12 months
>>of validity.
>>
>>
>Mitch, that may actually be illegal. My wife, who's just setting up as a
>massage therapist, is issuing gift certificates. She was told in school
>that if the gift certificate has been paid for, there can be no expiration
>date. I realize this is not exactly the situation you describe, as you're
>not getting the money yourself, but keep it in mind if you let people give
>you money for a gift certificate. And it may not be the law there in the
>beautiful Bitterroot.
>I agree that the value of having your work in most auctions is minimal.
>When they tell me it'll be good exposure, I usually reply, "You can die of
>exposure". I've never gotten even a call from someone who bought one of my
>pieces at an auction.
>I do donate to a fair number of them, though, if they're good causes. But I
>almost always explain to the organizers that I get NOTHING for this. They
>always tell me I can deduct it, but I can only deduct the cost of materials,
>and I deducted those when I bought them. I can't deduct them twice.
>Paul Lewing, Seattle
>
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wayne on wed 11 aug 04
Paul:
That depends on the state in which you reside.
In some states, as yo udescribe is illegal...no expiration date if
fully paid. In other states (like FL)
as long as the expiration date is printed on the certificate, it is
certainly allowed.
What torques _my_ crankshaft is getting a gift certificate to a
place as a gift (duh) then having the place go out of business (or
change ownership) before getting a chance to use it. That has
happened to me twice. Business gets the money, you get nothing!
What a ripoff!
Wayne Seidl
Key West, Florida, USA
North America, Terra
Latitude 81.45W, Longitude 24.33N
Elevation 3.1 feet (1m)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Lewing"
> Mitch, that may actually be illegal. My wife, who's just setting
up as a
> massage therapist, is issuing gift certificates. She was told in
school
> that if the gift certificate has been paid for, there can be no
expiration
> date. I realize this is not exactly the situation you describe,
as you're
> not getting the money yourself, but keep it in mind if you let
people give
> you money for a gift certificate. And it may not be the law there
in the
> beautiful Bitterroot.
John Hesselberth on thu 12 aug 04
On Wednesday, August 11, 2004, at 09:32 AM, John Rodgers wrote:
> I have gift certificates from retail stores that have definte
> expiration
> dates on them. Also, checks are sometimes written that have definite
> expirations dates on the - thouse that is another issue.
Hi Paul, John,
In Pennsylvania the law allows an expiration date, but you don't get to
keep the money. You have to turn it over to the state who will try to
find the owner and refund it to them. If they can't find the owner the
state, not the merchant, gets to keep the money. To avoid this
merchants are now charging an "administrative fee" of so much per month
so the value of the gift certificate becomes zero after a couple years.
I think a number of other states operate the same way. Read the fine
print. Where there is a will to screw the consumer, there is a way.
John
John Hesselberth
http://www.frogpondpottery.com
http://www.masteringglazes.com
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