I did a Twitter poll on the ugliest/worst gift you have ever received. My favorites were: a gift card to a weight loss program from a mother-in-law, a box of Proactiv and a bottle of Nair for Valentine’s Day from a Grandmother (so the grand-daughter could have a better Valentine’s Day next year), and dirty (used) diamond earrings. Were the gift givers intentionally trying to insult or hurt the recipient? They probably weren’t, chances are the gift given just didn’t know what to give. We’ve all received a gift equivalent to Aunt Myrtle’s ugly sweater, but those days are now gone!
My latest web-find treasure offers Grandma an alternative to giving socks and underwear. It’s a new social media website with a catch. Gimmepleez is similar to Facebook, in that you create an account and add “friends” to you online social circle. What makes GimmePleez different is that when you sign up, a goal of something that you’re saving for is also established. You enter the cost of the desired item and then friends and family can donate money directly to that goal. Your account is linked with your savings account, so as money is donated, it flows through GimmePleez directly into your bank account, allowing your dreams to become a reality.
My latest web-find treasure offers Grandma an alternative to giving socks and underwear. It’s a new social media website with a catch. Gimmepleez is similar to Facebook, in that you create an account and add “friends” to you online social circle. What makes GimmePleez different is that when you sign up, a goal of something that you’re saving for is also established. You enter the cost of the desired item and then friends and family can donate money directly to that goal. Your account is linked with your savings account, so as money is donated, it flows through GimmePleez directly into your bank account, allowing your dreams to become a reality.
The site is used primarily by college students, but non-profits are getting involved now too. Routine college requests are additional funds for books or meals. On the website, I also found a little league team earning money for their team party. The team could send out a request to its parents, but as a member I had the opportunity to donate as well once I saw it in the list of featured requests.
Kids and adults alike are sending out these GimmePleez.com requests for birthdays and holidays. Aunt Myrtle will have a choice to put the money she would have spent on a sweater into a fund for your designated dream. Dreams can be as small as the latest CD to as extravagant as a new car or college fund. Another nice feature of GimmePleez is if you’re close to your goal, is an option of sending out updates to the people who have donated in the past, giving them an additional opportunity to “get you to the finish line”. Top Gimmegories include, dating, gaming, clothes, auto, computer, vacation, wedding and music. Anyone can request money for any reason; it’s just a matter whether someone is willing to pay for it.
Wayne Weber, CEO of GimmePleez came up with this idea in college and seems to really have found his niche! As this idea trickles from college in the mainstream the more functionality it will have. Wayne said in a meeting, that his favorite response to GimmePleez was from a dad who could finally see how much money his daughter was receiving between he and his wife. Once it recordable, it opened the lines of communication for budgeting. The dad went so far as to research other college GimmePleez accounts and watch how much other students were getting. The possibilities of usage are endless. Thank goodness Aunt Myrtle has an alternative now!
Weber, W, GimmePleez, retrieved April 23, 2010 from http://www.gimmepleez.com/
2 comments:
Kori,
What a brilliant article to bring to our attention. This strikes a cord with me as I start to plan a wedding and look into purchasing my first home. My Fiance and I have often said to one another that we should set up a paypal account for wedding gifts, as most of our guests are coming from out of state.
Are there any limitations to the system or fees associated with using this service?
I LOVE the clown sweater! I had to get that out of the way upfront!
Your post was very interesting. I agree that this tool could be useful for non-profits or perhaps even college students, but for everyone else wouldn't it just be begging? I think that I would be offended if one of my friends sent me a link asking for money for a car or vacation and I would NEVER send a request to anyone I know. I think if used incorrectly this site could be very tacky. However, if all of the girls from a girl scout troup sent out invitations to people they know selling cookies it might be different. I can see that there would be good uses for this site, but how is it different than paypal except for the begging aspect?
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