Comments on: Bargain challenge – use all gift cards by year’s end

By: Bargain Babe » Why do you hoard gift cards?

Bargain Babe » Why do you hoard gift cards? — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:42:09 +0000

[...] self-imposed gift card challenge – spend all 9 of my cards worth $431 before the new year – is not going so well. One [...]

By: Mary-Lou

Mary-Lou — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:04:02 +0000

Thanks for the reminder! I finally used my Target card; discovered I still have $1.91 on a Barnes & Noble card, $14 on a AmEX card, and a full $100 Sears card we got from our credit card company – I need some things from K-Mart! I learned the hard way about using cards before the company went out of business – we had a $50 card from Steak & Ale!

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:36:49 +0000

I found two gift cards in my wallet. One is from a national chain that has no stores near where I live or work (gift from an out of state relative) and the other is from a store that went out of business just after last Christmas (when I got it). Luckily I used one from a local restaurant just before it went out of business, and just used another from a store that doesn’t look like it will survive much longer.

By: Myke

Myke — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:27:37 +0000

I believe that in California you are still entitled to cash in your gift cards. I did that a few years back with a card for a store that I needed nothing from. You may have to wait for the store to issue you a check in the mail but it can be done.

By: Dee

Dee — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:42:24 +0000

Bargainbabe: I do love Nordstrom’s shoe department but with a 6yo and a 3yo I find I wear the same four pairs of shoes and all the others sit in the closet especially the heels. I’ve traded the gift card with my husband, who loves Nordstrom, in the past but that only works when he gets a gift card I can use. I was inspired by this post and checked out the half yearly sale online. Bought myself new running shoes and new walking shoes. Still didn’t use up the whole card and have two others with partial balances but it’s a start. Wish I knew someone else to gift it to but I don’t. One year I bought other people Christmas gifts with it then bought myself something in another store for the equivalent amount. We’ve done that with other gift cards too.

Didn’t know about the under $10 law. Will take advantage of this in the future. Thanks Melissa!

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:02:41 +0000

I see no one mentioned the possibility of the gift cards having no value if the store goes out of business! In this economy it is happening quite often, Use those cards, Julia!

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:26:26 +0000

I had a bunch of gift cards in my wallet…. that got stolen a couple of months ago. I just realized it now, as I’m adding to the total of what I lost. So don’t leave those things in there too long! The worst part is they probably just got thrown away in the end.

My suggestions for the JCrew card are: a) that you can either go there and pull a Winona Ryder from Reality Bites (this one may leave the most guilt feelings, and requires you to cozy up to strangers) and buy stuff for someone who is shopping anyway, and have them give you the money, b) you could sell it to someone who likes to shop there, at a 5-10% discount (i.e. find someone willing to buy it from you for $175, and everyone wins), or c) buy stuff that looks cute online, try it on at home, and if you don’t like it, that will get you off your butt to go into a store to return it, and you might find something you like (just watch out for clearance items that can’t be returned).

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:49:59 +0000

You have so many readers out here in cyberspace. I’m sure someone would be willing to trade with you or buy your cards. Just saying. . .
I usually get a chance to give my family and friends requests, because we’ve all had the same difficulty with gift cards.
Hey, how about a gift card swap party? Could be fun.

By: bargainbabe

bargainbabe — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:56:00 +0000

Great suggestion, Debra! I may well use it this way – maybe take a friend out to lunch!

By: Debra

Debra — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:41:30 +0000

Use the Gelson’s card for the Wolfgang Puck inside the store. The sandwiches are delicious and huge, so is the half pizza and salad deal. It’s more than enough for two people to share and could qualify as a Lincoln Lunch.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:09:27 +0000

For those gift cards with just a little left:

Effective January 1, 2008, “any gift certificate with a cash value of less than ten dollars ($10) is redeemable in cash for its cash value” (CA SB 250, approved by the governor and filed Oct 13, 2007).

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0201-0250/sb_250_bill_20071013_chaptered.pdf

You may need to bring a print out with you to the store as I have run into store managers who are unaware of the law.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:41:19 +0000

I had over $200 in gift cards from Bloomingales and so I treated myself to a Cuisinart food processor, a blender, and a $100 gift card from Macy’s so I bought some Fiestaware in the new color for last year (I love Fiestaware) I had been carrying those cards around for a couple of years and finally decided to get something that I really wanted for myself. I even wrapped them up and put them under my tiny Christmas tree (no kidding).

Hey, I’ll take the Gelson’s gift card (just kidding).

By: bargainbabe

bargainbabe — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:24:48 +0000

Tamara, does that mean you give cash as gifts? Or do you always give an actual gift?

By: bargainbabe

bargainbabe — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:18:24 +0000

Dee, why not pass on the gift card as a gift to someone who loves Nordstrom? But how can you not love their shoe department???

By: Tamara

Tamara — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:58:13 +0000

I don’t have any unused gift cards. I had one at Michael’s that I got about a month ago, and I used it up on Saturday. I don’t really like giving or receiving gift cards because it seems like exchanging money that is good anywhere for money that is only good at one store.