B-Day Gift? (yet another)

[CompUser]

I'm turning 15 in 2 weeks. I usually pick out my gifts because my parents say they don't know what to get me. They usually spend $350 (and won't give me cash.

I have a PowerBook, a PC, BT Mouse, Pro Keyboard, an iPod, a Digital Camera, 1 photo printer, 1 inkjet printer, 1 Laser Printer, 21" CRT, scanner, a bike, sports stuff....

My first choice is a Cell Phone, which may or may not happen knowing my indecisive parents.

Any ideas just incase my #1 choice doesn'r work out?

Thanks!

[homerjward]

you into video games? a pre-order on an xbox 360 would be cool, but that may be just me :p
(turned 15 just over 6 months ago)

[_Matt]

hey im 15 and here are my top picks:

computer speakers
computer games if you're into them
a small lcd tv for your room
isight
SUBSCRIPTION TO .MAC (no joke, i love .Mac)..obviously along with other gifts...

my ideas are just pretty much what i want as gifts for my birthday so i don't know if they are what you're looking for...and please dont go xBox 360 preorder...WAIT FOR PS3!...no offense to the other poster but xBox 360 fails to match the specs of PS3...so please wait and get something else...

otherwise...if your parents come through with the cell and you think that you're careful enough id get a black RAZR...which is also on my list of things to buy myself (when i have the money that is :confused:)...anyways good luck and i hope ive helped a little...

[wPod]

im not 15. . . i must be getting really old (only 23) . . . but i think you should go for something you could be active with. like a bike or something fun like that. but knowing your age (i have a younger brother who is your age) . . . . id go with a flat pannel monitor for your PB swap out that old CRT! or a PSP, my bro just got one and i think its pretty cool. even if you arent into video games (like me) it still does a lot like play music and movies and it can surf the web (with a hack, but will soon be able to do so legitmatly) as for a cell phone. . . your 15 you cant drive, you parents should always know where you are, and you should always be somewhere where a phone is availble. wait till your 16 to get a cell phone!

[Abstract]

Ask them for an IOU and get a $700 gift next year. ;)

[CompUser]

Two years ago my parents bought me a pretty expensive bike. I have both short and long sticks for Lacrosse. I also have soccer stuff and golf stuff.

I'm not into video games that much. I do have XBOX (2 game boy colors- I found one, and N64), but I end up getting the system and never using it. I have a few games for xbox but I'm not like most of my friends who can't go a day without spending at least 3hrs playing Halo on XBOX LIVE. The last time I used my XBOX was probably a month ago.

Computers Speakers sound intresting- I like the Harmon/Kardon Soundsticks. Those are $120 I think at amazon.com.

hmmmmm....

[puckhead193]

a subscription to a mac magazine like mac world or icreate is a really cool one.

[neildmitchell]

Im 28, so I say, save it.
:( .. that made me feel old :(
"A penny saved, is a penny earned :o

[runninmac]

Ask them for an IOU and get a $700 gift next year. ;)

That is a really good idea... I wish my parents would do that to me

But speakers would be a good choice I got some good ones ($80) a while back and glad i got good ones.

BTW i turned 16 less than a month ago.

[puckhead193]

what about more ram? or an external hard drive

[CompUser]

That is a really good idea... I wish my parents would do that to me

But speakers would be a good choice I got some good ones ($80) a while back and glad i got good ones.

BTW i turned 16 less than a month ago.

I wish I could do that too. Or combine your b-day $$$ and xmas money for too years. For me that would be like $350 + 350 + 450 +450 = $1600! That will never ever ever ever happen though with my parents. About every other year or every few years me and my sister get a "family present" like one year it was a pool table and another year it was a plasma tv instead of getting our own big presents.

I already have 768mb RAM so right now upgrading to 1.25gb wouldn't be worth it because I paid $67 to go from 512mb-768, and right now I don't want to spend $200 (crucial ram) to get from 768mb-1.25. I will eventually, when ram prices go down more.

And external HD might be good. I like the Lacies and the new silver Maxtors.

[_Matt]

haha...for about two years i was bound to a verbal agreement with my parents that i would not need nor ask for any gifts for any holiday...just so they could chip in and buy me my powerbook for my bday which was in january...i still say grab those speakers...either that or you can always send me a check :rolleyes:

[mactastic]

If it was me I'd be asking them for a drill press and a nice set of Forstner bits.... But that's just me. ;)

[wPod]

a PSP, my bro just got one and i think its pretty cool. even if you arent into video games (like me) it still does a lot like play music and movies and it can surf the web (with a hack, but will soon be able to do so legitmatly)

i totally called it. . . guess what sony announced today???

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/ptech/08/24/sony.psp.reut/index.html

now i want one!!! the only thing that could make it better would be an external UMD writer!!! (think that will come out tomorrow??!?!?!)

but i also agree that the speakers are a good idea. go for the altec lansing FX6021. . . they look really cool (brushed al look, just like the PBs) and they actually sound good as well!! theyre 250 from apple.

[EJBasile]

Speakers: Get Bose!

Happy Birthday

[CompUser]

If it was me I'd be asking them for a drill press and a nice set of Forstner bits.... But that's just me. ;)

My dad is really into wood working. He rarely does anything. He mostly buys old machines and rebuilds them. He has a huge delta table saw, a little delta tabls saw, 2 delta/rockwell tables saws he is fixing, 2 drill presses, a delta/rockwell shaper, a big metal cabinet of various electric/pnuematic hand tools, 2 old AMC (i think?) DeWalt radial arm saws, 1 delta scroll saw, 1 delta band saw, 1 delta lathe, dust collection system, 3 large rolling tool chests and an air compressers with connections to it all over his workshop and in the garage.

(His dad, my grandpa, my great grandpa, and my great great grandpa were some kind of tool makers)

Maybe I'll post a pic of my basement in my old house because the current one isn't yet finished.

[mpw]

Why don't you let your parents know that, while you appreciate their gesture, you don't feel that not dying in the last year is really cause for reward and you don't feel comfortable providing a 'wish list'?

If they really want to buy you something they will and whatever it is, even a DELL PC, you'll be grateful as it's the thought that counts.

I haven't asked anyone for anything for birthdays or Christmas etc. since I was about 12years old, I think it's rude.

[mactastic]

My dad is really into wood working. He rarely does anything. He mostly buys old machines and rebuilds them. He has a huge delta table saw, a little delta tabls saw, 2 delta/rockwell tables saws he is fixing, 2 drill presses, a delta/rockwell shaper, a big metal cabinet of various electric/pnuematic hand tools, 2 old AMC (i think?) DeWalt radial arm saws, 1 delta scroll saw, 1 delta band saw, 1 delta lathe, dust collection system, 3 large rolling tool chests and an air compressers with connections to it all over his workshop and in the garage.

(His dad, my grandpa, my great grandpa, and my great great grandpa were some kind of tool makers)

Maybe I'll post a pic of my basement in my old house because the current one isn't yet finished.
Are they interested in adopting? ;)

[CompUser]

If it was me I'd be asking them for a drill press and a nice set of Forstner bits.... But that's just me. ;)

Basement (http://erikdovenai.tripod.com/my_photos/index.album?i=0)

Take a look at that if you like tools. That is my old basement, my new one is just a pile of tools wating to be set up. The new house features an air compresser and dust collection though.

I have more pics but I don't feel like posting them.

[florencevassy]

I really like everyone's suggestions...

My thoughts...Do you need or want any software?

I am not sure how much it would cost with a student discount, but maybe you could get Macromedia Studio, Dreamweaver or Photoshop if you don't have that already.

I also liked the idea of waiting to get a more expensive gift during the holidays.

[gwuMACaddict]

sounds like you have enough material stuff already...

why not get them to invest it for you? save it for college?

[mactastic]

Nice Unisaw/Router table combo. Not much of a blade guard in sight though. ;) I had access to all that stuff and then some when I worked in the wood/metal shop for students. Now that I'm out I have to actually buy all that stuff myself.

Just got myself a table saw, nothing like that cabinet saw, but a good start. Got a lot of the hand tools too, but the table saw is my first real machine. Now I need a jointer and a drill press. Working on dust collection too.

Good stuff. You work down there much?

[CompUser]

Nice Unisaw/Router table combo. Not much of a blade guard in sight though. ;) I had access to all that stuff and then some when I worked in the wood/metal shop for students. Now that I'm out I have to actually buy all that stuff myself.

Just got myself a table saw, nothing like that cabinet saw, but a good start. Got a lot of the hand tools too, but the table saw is my first real machine. Now I need a jointer and a drill press. Working on dust collection too.

Good stuff. You work down there much?

Yea my dad isn't really into all the safety features. The fact is that most of those machines are like 40yrs old so they don't have any safety mechanisms. Did you notice that the extensions on the unisaw are custom made (by my dad).

No I don't really work down there much. I have, I will, but not regularly. My dad would work down there but my dad's job inhibits him from doing so. He works 1.5hrs away, wakes up at 5:00am, gets home at 7:30-8:30 pm and then is exhausted.
----

and yes my parents have already started to save for my college. My sister goes to college that costs $45,000 a year. They are aware of how much it costs to go there.

[gwuMACaddict]

and yes my parents have already started to save for my college. My sister goes to college that costs $45,000 a year. They are aware of how much it costs to go there.

it still doesn't hurt to invest and save, no matter how wealthy your family already apparently is

[CompUser]

I really like everyone's suggestions...

My thoughts...Do you need or want any software?

I am not sure how much it would cost with a student discount, but maybe you could get Macromedia Studio, Dreamweaver or Photoshop if you don't have that already.

I also liked the idea of waiting to get a more expensive gift during the holidays.

I do have PhotoShop, Indesign, pagemaker, and FCE for my powerbook. Software wise, I think I'm set.

[CompUser]

it still doesn't hurt to invest and save, no matter how wealthy your family already apparently is

I did tell them to invest in apple when there stock was at $20 a year ago. They didn't listen. :( :mad:
I had mutual funds a few years ago. I had like 2,000 and then the stock market went down and I when I got out I had $1000.

Half of all the money I recieve for my B-Day and Xmas is put in my bank account.

I'm not really that "wealthy", it really depends on your prespective.

[gwuMACaddict]

I'm not really that "wealthy", it really depends on your prespective.

my perspective is that you're 14. you don't know what other material objects to buy, you're already invested in 4figure amounts in stocks and mutual funds, and you've told us your folks shell out for a top tier university.

what word would you rather i use besides "wealthy" :rolleyes:

anyway... i'm getting off topic... what about a new ski jacket? your profile says you ski, it's the offseason, a good time to get that stuff. or parts for your bike? a new suspension fork? how about a gym membership?

[florencevassy]

I do have PhotoShop, Indesign, pagemaker, and FCE for my powerbook. Software wise, I think I'm set.

Wow, you really are set. All that will look good on your resume too.

I like the suggestion about investing.

I feel old...When I was your age (1985 !!) I wasn't using computers quite yet. But my dad used some basic form of email back then.

[EJBasile]

New skis?

[CompUser]

my perspective is that you're 14. you don't know what other material objects to buy, you're already invested in 4figure amounts in stocks and mutual funds, and you've told us your folks shell out for a top tier university.

what word would you rather i use besides "wealthy" :rolleyes:

anyway... i'm getting off topic... what about a new ski jacket? your profile says you ski, it's the offseason, a good time to get that stuff. or parts for your bike? a new suspension fork? how about a gym membership?

Well I think it is rude when someone says "your wealthy" or "your rich" (and stuff like that) because how do you respond to that. My moms a pediatrician and my dad is some business executive for a company that makes controls and devices for power plants.


New skis would be nice. My current atomic C:4s might be too small, even though they are only 1 year old- I grew a lot.

Bike- I think I'm set. It has a full suspension, disk brakes, whats left to put on it?

Gym Membership: ehhhh...I'm not fat......I play soccer almost everyday.....and my parents have a bunch of exercise equipment.

[gwuMACaddict]

how about giving the money to a church or a charity? we're obviously having wayt too much trouble coming up with something to buy...

that way you can help lots of other people who are less fortunate- maybe a local soup kitchen?