Thanks for the advice!

August 3, 2008 7:49 PM

How do I say "Thanks for the advice" to some fellow MeFites?

So a few months ago, I posted a question here asking for some advice. I followed the advice given my most of the posters (there were 20-ish posters in all) and things worked out for the better (yay!).

Now I want to say "thanks!". I was thinking about donating about $200 to a charity in honor of them and send them a personal MeFi mail message thanking them for their help.

This seems like an easy-enough thing to do, but I just wanted to see if any of you guys had some other interesting/creative ideas that I didn't think of...

Posting anonymously because I want it to be a surprise! But I promise to let you know who I am and what my question was once I make a decision what to do _{don't get too excited though - i'm no one special!}

thanks!
But before

posted by anonymous to Human Relations (13 answers total)

If it were me you were asking to thank, my answer would be simple:

Pass it on.

Try to give really good, equally useful answers to others in the future, and keep the cycle of helpfulness alive.
posted by Tomorrowful at 7:56 PM on August 3, 2008 [7 favorites]

It could be as simple as paying it forward and continuing to give equally good advice to other posters in need in the future. But I'm sure charity would do the trick as well.
posted by Asherah at 7:56 PM on August 3, 2008

Personally, I think an email on the MetaFilter system would be preferable, thanking them and letting them know how their suggestions led to a happy outcome for you (they're probably curious and would love to know how things turned out, and would be thrilled just to know that they helped you)
posted by Auden at 7:57 PM on August 3, 2008 [1 favorite]

I just came from looking at ModestNeeds.org, which always make me realize that, while some of us might see $200 as a drop in the bucket (cell phone + Internet bills, maybe?), it can make a huge difference in some peoples' lives: they need to see a therapist but can't afford one, or they lost their job and can't feed their kids, or their health insurance won't pay for their medicine, etc.
posted by fogster at 8:05 PM on August 3, 2008

I think your idea is great -- personal emails saying thanks, put an update in the thread (if it hasn't been closed) saying what worked, and then a donation to something cool, like fogster's suggestion, to cap it off.
posted by Forktine at 8:07 PM on August 3, 2008

Fogster's suggestion is a great one. $200 is real money.

But if I were one of the helpers, I'd feel good about a MeMail and maybe a MeTa thank-you callout and knowing you'd be paying it forward, too. After all, that's what the system runs on.
posted by Miko at 8:21 PM on August 3, 2008

Get the mods to mark their answers best answer.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:44 PM on August 3, 2008

Seeing "You were right, thanks" is worth wayyy more than $200 to me. You could even skip the thanks part.

Actually, just seeing those words now is making me happy even though I typed them. People love being right and being appreciated. It is so rare that people take the advice that they are given that it is a treat just to know you got through to someone and that it helped them.

Do the charity money if you want to, but the validation in the inbox should be more than enough.
posted by rmless at 9:01 PM on August 3, 2008

I think it would mean a lot to people just to get a MeFi mail updating them on your situation and thanking them for their advice. I know that would make me feel great!
posted by Nattie at 10:56 PM on August 3, 2008

MeFi mail would make *my* day, personally.

Also, one of those warm fuzzy MeTa threads that's been going around would be a nice boost to everyone in the community, above and beyond the specific posters in your thread. Encouraging more positive interactions and all that.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 3:22 AM on August 4, 2008

Getting a MeFi-mail would put me on cloud nine too. If it makes sense, a news update posted to wherever would be appropriate (I think MeTa if the comments thread for the question itself is closed). If there are any relevant pics or media (e.g., if it was house-buying advice, we wanna see pics of the house!), I'm sure everyone who helped would love to see those as well. Anything else is just icing on the cake.
posted by ErWenn at 8:44 AM on August 4, 2008

As much as I like money, I would be thrilled by an email saying, "Hey ORM, the advice you gave me was great!"

I would ride that til the wheels fell off.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 10:08 AM on August 4, 2008

I've gotten exactly one email thanking me for an answer on the site. It absolutely made my day. And now the sender and I correspond regularly.

Don't underestimate the power of a simple thank you note.
posted by Phire at 8:18 PM on August 5, 2008