I LOVE receiving gift cards for Christmas. Honestly, I can't think of one that I haven't used. But, there are a ton of them that go to waste. Here are some great tips:
When it comes to holiday gifting, you can’t go wrong with a gift card, right? While it’s not that fun to open, it sure is fun to use, and there’s no chance of getting something that will be returned or re-gifted. The problem is, those gift cards don’t always get used.
Believe it or not, according to research, while consumers spend more than $130 billion on gift cards, $1 billion of that goes unspent. Yep, $1 billion in gift card money goes unused.
According to experts, here are tips to ensure your gift card actually gets spent:
Don’t give a gift card to a store or restaurant that is far away from where the recipient lives: If using the gift card is a hassle, the chances that it will get used are slim -- even if it’s a place the recipient loves
Stick with a card that can be used anywhere: A gift card form a major credit card company is always a good way to go because it can be used anywhere, for anything.
Always buy from a trusted retailer: Be careful buying discounted gift cards online -- it could be a scam. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
Investigate expirations: Some cards never expire and some expire quickly. Make sure the gift recipient knows how long they have to use the card so they don’t have to go searching for that information. (Buzz 60)