In most cases, Thank You cards are completely unecessary, so try taking the process one step further by sending a You’re Welcome Card. I’ve also started to hand out “You’re Welcome Cards” with gifts knowing that I’m not going to receive a thank you. ;-)

http://www.thank-you-note-examples-wording-ideas.com

My kids made the cards themselves and I think that goes a long way rather than just the normal shop bought ones. They also had great fun doing them.

Not only is it good manners to write a thank you note, but I truly believe that each time I sit down and write to someone why I am appreciate a gift they gave me or something he/ she did for me, I actually feel the gratitude more deeply.

Does that make sense?

Life can be so harried that sometimes, for example, I’ll receive a Christmas present, open it hurriedly and put it aside for a few weeks without thinking much about it. But when the day comes to write the thank you letter, I take the time to see the present with new eyes. Writing a few meaningful sentences by hand makes me slow down enough consider the effort the giver put into selecting something for me, wrapping it, writing out a card… Were it not for the tradition of writing thank you notes, I might never have the pleasure of really savouring the thoughtfulness behind the gift.

I wish that every child would learn this gentle art. Not only is it good etiquette, but it helps each of us remember how much we have to be grateful for!

The first sentence Say “thank you for” and state the gift or opportunity you’ve been given. Here are three examples:

Thank you for the gift of $20 on the occasion of my graduation.
Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the systems analyst position.
Thank you for the wonderful dinner party you hosted on the 20th.
Thank you for the set of kitchen knives you gave to us for our wedding.

Please note that there are four examples here and not three as stated.

Age to Start: I started writing thank you notes when I was 5 and I am grateful that my mom had me do them. At the time, the format was a fill in the blank so that I could start good habits. My son started thank you notes at 3 when he could sign his name. I would write the majority of the note, with him sitting next to me to tell me what he liked about each item and then he would sign the note. It may be time consuming, but teaching gratitude at an early age is much easier than teaching it after bad habits have formed.

Card or Letter aft Interview: I have presented on a number of panels for college seniors and this topic comes up often. I would prefer a hand written personal note, but a number of other professionals on the panel said that was too familiar for an interview and a letter keeps it professional. I believe the bottom line is that you should have an understanding of the cultural environment of the company you are interviewing with before the interview and the thank you should be sent in accordance with the culture and the “vibe” you get from the person that interviewed you.

Handwritten or Typed: Hands down hand written is the best, but in many situations I have had clients that have medical conditions that make it quite painful to hand write anything. Also, there are a number of people that can think in a more flowing an sincere fashion when typing vs writing… Heck, now there are a number of students that start their composition classes on PCs, writing… what is that… In those cases I suggest http://www.OrganizeMyCards.com as a tool to send physical cards in the mail in your handwriting and signature.

Culture Differences: I was just talking to a great lady from Russia that told me that they never wrote thank you cards growing up b/c it was more customary to thank in person. However, now that she is in the US, she is following the 80/20 rule and teaching her daughter how to write the notes.

Content more important than how: Thank you notes first and foremost are to let the person know that they are important to you and you are grateful for something they have done including their willingness to be involved in your life in one degree or another. It is much better to express that feeling than to decide to not do it b/c you can’t do it “right.”

My most surprising thank you note received: I had a client send me a thank you note for the sympathy card I sent her when her father passed away. I thought that was way overboard, but when I did a “reality check” with a number of people, I was amazed at how many said that was 100% appropriate.

1) Etiquette Hell: True stories of people’s appalling thank-you faux pas so you won’t feel so bad about the awkward thank you note you may have written:
http://www.etiquettehell.com/content/eh_wedding/thankynotes/enotesfhell.shtml

2) Thank You Note Samples: Pages and pages of sample thank you notes for all occasions:
http://www.thank-you-note-samples.com

It suggests instead that you start with something like “I hope this letter finds you and your family well.” Then continue the next line with the “Thank you…”

I have to agree with some of the other comments about starting your note with something other than “Thank you for…”, especially if you card already says “Thank you” on the front.

Expressing gratitude is one of the key ways to make your own life happy.

Your article reminds me of the days I insisted that my children send thank you notes for Christmas and birthday gifts. They protested and hated it then, but today as adults they write thoughtful and touching handwritten notes. They are always remembered by interviewers because they always send thank you notes.

Should I use your reason above [ A thank you note extends the window of opportunity of communication with someone else, keeping your name in their mind.] and still send the cards anyway???

let me hear in the comment pls.

Most auto parts stores (and some mechanics, junk yards and haz mats) will let you drop off used oil for free. Buy an oil drain pan with a lid ($5), fill it up, and take it with you the next time you go by the auto parts store.

RE: it’s cheaper/faster to pay someone to change your oil instead of doing it yourself

I find those 15-min oil change places usually completely overfill my oil, which can damage your car. After you learn how to change your own oil, it usually takes about a half hour. Most of the time spent changing your own oil is waiting for the oil to drain into the pan, so while you’re waiting you can clean the inside of your car, clean the air filter, and do other chores and maintenance. All you need is the oil, the oil filter, a drain pan, rags, a socket wrench, and an oil filter wrench (another $5). Depending how high your car is off the ground and where the oil drain plug is located, you might need to buy a jack and stands or drive-up ramps.

If changing the oil really does only save you a measly $5 instead of the $20 or $30 Trent suggested, then you just saved $5 for about 15 extra minutes of your time. That’s $20 an hour. I doubt you can recoup that money while waiting in Jiffy Lube, reading back issues of Time magazine.