How to Write a Thank You Note for Money

Co-authored by Tami Claytor

Last Updated: July 6, 2022

If someone sent you money, you may feel obligated to write a thank you note. You’d be right to feel that way! The gift of money typically deserves a thank you note, especially if you’ve received a donation, birthday gift, or holiday card. Regardless of the occasion, it is important to write a thank you note to the sender expressing your gratitude for their thoughtfulness if you’ve received a monetary gift. Depending on who the sender is, your note might be more or less formal. We’ll walk you through the rules of etiquette for writing thank you notes.

Sample Thank You Notes

Sample Thank You Note to Relative

Sample Thank You Note for Donation

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Getting Set Up

1
Purchase thank you cards. If you do not have a supply of thank you cards, you will need to go buy a pack. There are a few things to keep in mind:^{[1]
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- Choose a pack that fits either your personality or the occasion. If you are thanking someone for money given for funeral expenses, for example, you will not want a brightly-colored thank you card. However, that type of card would be acceptable for thanking someone for money given for graduation or a birthday.^{[2]
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- Buy a pack large enough to send as many thank you notes as you need. Packs of thank you cards usually come in sets of 8-10, but you can also find packs of 20 and 50.
- Pay attention to whether the thank you cards have pre-printed messages inside them. Most packs are blank, so be sure to check whether the pack you chose is blank. You may want the pre-printed message, or you may want the blank ones.
2
Collect the supplies you need for writing a thank you note. You need only a few things, but having them gathered together helps you avoid having to stop and start while writing your note.
- Thank you cards and envelopes
- Pens
- Address book
- Stamps
- Return address labels
- Nice stationery is important. A beautiful thank you card is like a little present in the recipient's mailbox.
3
Make sure you have your recipient's address. If you look through your address book and discover that you do not have your recipient's address, figure out a way to obtain it.
- Contact the recipient and ask for it
- Contact a family member or friend who knows it
- Look in other address books or documents to try to find it
4
Find a place in your home where you feel comfortable writing. You may only be writing one thank you note, or you might be writing several thank you notes, if more than one person gifted money to you. Find a space in your home where it is comfortable to sit and write for a while.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Writing the Thank You Note

1
Settle into your chosen writing spot. Make sure that you are comfortable and that you have everything you need to write your note.
- Make sure as well that your handwriting is legible.
2
Open your thank you note and write the date inside. The date goes in the top right-hand corner of the inside of the card. You can write the date in a couple of different formats:
- January 1, 2015
- 1 January 2015
- 1/1/15
- 01/01/15
- 1/1/2015
- 01/01/2015
3
Write the greeting just below the date but on the left-hand side. Shift your hand down just a bit from where you wrote the date, and then slide your hand across to the left side. Here is where you should write your greeting. The formality of it will vary depending on who your recipient is; a friend or family member can have a less formal greeting, while a boss, donor, or other important person would need a more formal one.
- “Dear Susie,”
- “Dear Mr. Brown,”
- “Dear Mr. and Mrs. Thomas,”
- “Hi Jonathan,”
- “Hey Michelle!”
- “Hello Mrs. Smith,”
4
Begin your first sentence below the greeting. After you write your greeting, shift your hand downward again and indent about an inch from the left. This is where you will start the first sentence of your card.
- Be mindful of the size of your handwriting. Unless you write quite small, most thank you cards can only fit about 3-5 sentences, not including the date, greeting, and closing.
5
Write your thank you message. As you are thanking someone for giving you money, it is important to thank them for their generosity and/or thoughtfulness, express your gratitude, explain how you will use or save the money, and continue your connection with the recipient.^{[4]
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- “Thank you for the money that you gave me for graduation. I'm so thankful that you made this investment in my future. I'll be putting the money into my savings account to cover college expenses. I'll be home for Thanksgiving, so I hope to see you then.”
- “I want to thank you for sending me money for Christmas. That was so generous of you, and it completely surprised me. I'm planning to use the money to buy a dress I really want. Thanks for giving me the means to buy another gift! I hope we can get together at New Years.”
- “There just aren't enough words to express how thankful I am for the money you sent me. I've been in a tight spot for a while now, and the money you unexpectedly sent me will help so much in covering some expenses I have right now. I'm so grateful to have someone like you in my life. I'm planning to host a small dinner party in a few weeks, and I'd love it if you could attend.”
- “We want to send our sincerest thanks for the money you thoughtfully gave us as a wedding gift. We are saving to buy our first home, so we will contribute this money to that savings fund. Thank you for helping us get one step closer to our goal! We'll let you know when we accomplish it.”^{[5]
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6
Close your note with a closing. Once you finish writing your message, slide your hand down the card a bit and move it somewhere between the middle and the right side of the card. This is where you will write your closing. Again, which closing you choose depends on how formal or informal you need to be.
- “Love, Nate”
- “Sincerely, Emily Jones”
- “Your friend, Bob”
- “Warmly, Kristen”
- “Talk to you soon, Ryan”
- “Thanks again, Lindsey”
7
Close the card and slide it into the envelope. Then, seal the flap of the envelope. You can lick it, or you might want to use a dampened sponge or an envelope moistener.
8
Address the card to your recipient. In neat handwriting on the front of the envelope, write the recipient's address. It is important to include all parts of the address, including the zip code.
- If the note is going to more than one person, be sure to address it as “Mr. and Mrs. Thomas,” for example. Other options include “Dr. and Mrs.,” “Dr. and Dr.,” “Rev. and Mrs.,” and “The Thomas Family.”
9
Apply your return address label and stamp. The return address label belongs in the top left-hand corner of the front of the envelope. In the top right-hand corner is where you should stick the stamp.
10
Mail the thank you note. It is important to mail your thank you note in a timely manner. Etiquette usually implies that you have up to two weeks to send a thank you note for most occasions.
- Ideally, try to send your thank you note within 24-48 hours.
- Weddings have a slightly different rule. If you receive the gift prior to the wedding, then the 2-week rule applies. However, if you received the gift at or after the wedding, then etiquette allows up to one month after your return from your honeymoon.^{[6]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I write a thank you note on behalf of someone else who is unable to personally reply?

Community Answer

Write "On behalf of (name), we would like to thank you for (whatever). Sincerely, (your name and their name)" or you could write a simple thank you note and then have them sign as best they can.
Question

How do I say thank you for money when I'm unemployed?

Community Answer

You should just simply say "Thank You". No explanation about your employment is required.
Question

How can I write this to a relative?

Community Answer

Start with a greeting, then explain what they did and why you are thanking them.