If you want a great way to instantly earn some extra money, then go ahead and dig out all of those unused gift cards. We bet, if you are like most people, you have at least $200 laying around.
Did you know that there are almost $7 billion in unclaimed gift cards floating around? That is why stores love it when you buy gift cards. They get an immediate sale, and you may or may not redeem them. It is like giving the store money for nothing.
I myself just found two gift cards that we haven’t used from last year. The total: $50! You can bet that I will be bringing them with me to the store to get some Christmas shopping done.
Each year, some time in November, I try to go through the house and gather up gift cards wherever they may hide. Sometimes the cards are in my purse or my husband’s wallet. Other times they are stashed in a drawer. Sometimes they are still with the greeting card under a stack of mail in a box marked not urgent. I would say that reclaiming money is pretty urgent though, wouldn’t you.
Last year we had a bunch of gift cards that the kids had received for birthdays and holidays and sometimes even just for going to a birthday party, as part of a goodie bag. They were all for Toys R Us. The kids decided to pool all of the cards together and either get one large toy or gamer they could all share or split the total three ways (it was impossible to tell whose card was whose anyway). They wound up with $140 to spend!
Some older cards carry expiration dates and maintenance fees, so check these types of cards before you use them. Now go find your money!