Simples, for piece of mind dont send "Gift" payments!.
Ebay does not allow them for 2 reasons, 1. the buyer has no claim for goods not received (or claimed not received) and we all know Fee-Pay is about protecting the buyers and ripping off the selllers!, 2. paypal does not make 3.4% on your payment!
If you know the person well you take your chances, if you dont know them well, let someone else take the chance of getting ripped off or pay the extra and send a full paypal payment.