It’s that time. Your friends or close family members are taking that leap into the next phase of their life. Maybe it’s marriage, and you have received your invitation to the ceremony. Perhaps they’ve announced they are expecting a new born. In any case, you’ve submitted your RSVP. Now you’re faced with the daunting task of purchasing the couple a gift. Fortunately, they’ve setup a gift registry for their guests to get the gifts they think they need.

You know better. You’ve been down this road before, and you know some of the essentials they’ve left off their list. Now you’re wondering, is it rude to not buy a gift off the registry? There are a few instances when going off registry is acceptable. These include having a close relationship with the couple, a lack of gift choices on the registry, or if you have extensive experience with the must have items that were left off their registry.

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Buying Off Registry For A Wedding

Often times, newlywed couples end up getting their first house together. This is by no means the rule, but if this is the case, and you’re a homeowner you may have valuable input for them. Now is the time to share your homeowner knowledge by getting them something they have missed entirely.

Sometimes, you’re just late to the party. If you’ve arrived at their registry and the only remaining gifts aren’t to your liking, or budget, you can grab something off registry. You can do a price comparison with other products that people have purchased to make sure you aren’t being extravagant (or cheap). You can always give money toward a honeymoon or towards their new home if you can’t find a gift for the event.

Whatever the case, I recommend that you have a close relationship with either the bride or the groom, but knowing both is better. Also, if you’re going off registry, make sure the gift you end up purchasing is something both of them can use. Getting your buddy an air compressor for his garage is likely not going to go over well.

Buying Off Registry For A Baby Shower

Buying a gift off registry during a baby shower is not something I recommend. People tend to do more research on the products they want, where newborns are concerned. If you’re going to go off registry here, you should probably have a brood of your own. At the very least, make sure you’ve done the first time parent thing.

Assuming that you’ve done the newborn thing before, you’re likely to have insight into the must have items. Maybe it’s a diaper genie, or some other periphery they may have left out. In that case, it’s probably acceptable to go off registry to get them something useful. Make sure it’s a necessity and something they’ll thank you for later.

Another instance where going off registry is appropriate is when all of the gifts are taken. You could show up with a truckload of diapers and I’m sure they’d be thrilled. Or you can go off registry and find something that’s a more sustainable resource. Ensure that you put the child’s needs first and foremost, with the parents a close second, and you should be alright going rogue.

Off Registry In General

Remember that you shouldn’t feel obligated to get something specifically from the store they registered at. The registry is there to offer transparency into the things the couple are looking for. Feel free to shop around for the same product at a better deal. If you end up trying to get them a “better” version of the gift on the registry, make sure that the model you selected has all of the same features.

You shouldn’t go off registry without knowing that the product you are getting is beneficial to the couple. Avoid gimmicky items that are the latest fad. Chances are the product isn’t quality, or at the very least hasn’t been thoroughly field tested. You don’t want the couple to feel like your own personal guinea pigs. Along those lines, a product you have experience with means you can provide insights about setup, usage, and troubleshooting.

Final Thoughts

No matter the occasion, just make sure the gift is thoughtful, useful, and a quality product. Ideally you’ll buy from the registry, but if you have insight from personal experience it’s probably OK to deviate. Make sure that you have a close relationship with the couple you are buying for. If you’ve found that all the gifts you wanted to give have been scooped up by others, you can also go rogue. However, if you don’t have the experience needed for selecting an off registry gift, you can always give money or a gift card.

 

This site (TheGiftasaurus.com) is owned and operated by Graphite Designs Unltd. LLC Graphite Designs Unltd. LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Graphite Designs Unltd. LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Clickbank, CJ, and other sites. Graphite Designs Unltd. LLC is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.