Your teen wants cash for Christmas (what were the odds?)

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Thursday, December 09, 2010

What tops Chicago kids' wish lists this holiday season

If our thoroughly unscientific poll is any indication, you can't go wrong this year with a video gaming system, which topped the wish lists of more than 60 percent of our respondents.

It may be easier than ever to buy your kids' love this holiday season. A new report finds what teenagers want more than anything else is ... cash!

Prepaid gift cards, to be exact, which is safer than handing a wad of twenties to the kid who can't seem to go a week without losing his cell phone. These debit-like cards are flexible, secure and easy to reload, though there's no doubt they're a little lacking in the Christmas morning sentimentality department.

The report, conducted (true story) by BillMyParents, a prepaid card website, finds that nearly half of teens surveyed said that instead of video game equipment, new clothing or a new cellphone, they would prefer a prepaid gift card, which they could presumably use to buy video game equipment, new clothing and a new cellphone.

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