Tag Archives: gift cards

Purposefully Using the Little Things

As you may know, my husband and I are really buckling down to reduce our monthly expenses. It seems as though the prices for everything are going up, while our income remains the same. Recent unexpected expenses have drained our emergency fund and we are really trying to get out of debt. Although our home isn’t that large by many standards, there is still plenty of space for little things to collect. Many of these things don’t normally get used because they are forgotten or aren’t convenient. But purposefully using these little things will help us stretch the budget a … Continue reading →

Tax Rebate Gift Cards

You may have seen some retail stores advertising bonus money or services when you purchase a store gift card using your tax rebate or stimulus rebate check. Is it worth it to take advantage of these offers? Let’s take a look. How do these deals work? It can vary according to the store, or it really helps to know upfront what exactly each deal is all about. The basic premise is that if you use your tax rebate or stimulus rebate money to buy a gift card or if you spend that money in the store, you will be given … Continue reading →

Use those Gift Cards

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Do you still have a bunch of gift cards in your wallet? You haven’t had the extra time to spend them yet? Well, don’t wait, or you may just be throwing money away! No matter how big the retailer may be, if they go out of business those cards are worthless. Stores like The Sharper Image left many customers surprised when they filed bankruptcy and their gift cards were zeroed out. In addition, some gift cards start to charge you a fee if you do not use them within a certain period. Gift cards have been the rage over the … Continue reading →

Gift Card Pitfalls

Giving and receiving gift cards seems like a great trend, doesn’t it? This year, according to recent statistics, more people will give gift cards than any other holiday gift. But, unfortunately, there are a lot of pitfalls with gift cards, such as the fact that some states can claim that money for themselves! I bet you didn’t know that! So, if you are giving or getting gift cards this year, be aware of the pitfalls they could bring to your budget. Retailers love gift cards. Why? Because many of them are never redeemed, and this is free money to the … Continue reading →

Christmas Gifts: Ideas for a little something

Sometimes, smaller gifts that are the most difficult to select. If you are looking for a little something to give as a gift, here are some nice ideas: More than a Photo Depending on where you purchase them, you can have ornaments printed with an image or you can select photo frame ornaments. While there are several designs including those that simply are miniature picture frames, there are also that look like a glass ornament with a built in frame. Many styles are very attractive and can be purchased in pretty gift boxes. Add a family picture or a picture … Continue reading →

Give the Gift of Cards

Gift card use has increased dramatically the last couple of holiday seasons and this year looks to be the same. These cards can be great for both consumer and retailer, as they provide a more decorative way to give cash as a gift at the same time ensuring a selected retailer gets your commerce. But, are they all really as great as they seem? Not according to Consumer Reports, who ran a full page ad in the New York Times warning shoppers of the potential waste of unused, lost or expired gift cards. Even so, these cards still seem to … Continue reading →

The Gift Card Graveyard

For the past few years, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others who have wanted to give gifts to my kids and not known exactly what to get, have sent gift cards. This is a fabulous way to give a gift to an adolescent or teenager, of course, but now, I’m wondering what to do with all these dozens and dozens of partially-used plastic cards. With three teens, you might imagine how quickly the gift card slush pile can accumulate. We have got identical-sized cards laying around the house for everything from department stores and shopping malls, to restaurants and movie theatres. … Continue reading →

BEWARE—The Holiday Gift Card Scam

I don’t know where you live, but if you reside anywhere around the Midwest portion of the United States then you may have heard about a new scam involving gift cards. Thousands of victims have flooded area Better Business Bureaus with their tragic stories of being ripped off. Here’s how the scam works: Scammers go to a store where gift cards are hanging on a rack. They then copy numbers and merchant names from these gift cards. They wait a week or so and then call the 800 number that was on the back of the card to find out … Continue reading →