Buying Gift Cards

[P.C.]

I'm thinking you might want to think twice about purchasing gift cards or gift certificates this year for Christmas presents.

  I just saw on the news that last year, 8 BILLION dollars.....yes....with a B....have not been used.  A great percentage of which will expire without being cashed in.

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  ROFL

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[Russ]

I have lots of gift cards I havent used... somewhere.

  I dont even remember the cards I get/got.

  The Starfishie has gone through most of my stuff and we are now using the gift cards.. if we can. I dont remember half of them.

  I find the best gift cards to give are from the BCL

[P.C.]

Now THERE'S a gift card that won't end up in the back of the file drawer. LOL

  [img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/more/bigs/a063.gif" border=0]

  We too are bad for using gift certificates.  I don't even want to think of the amount of things we've not used.

[JJ]

I refuse to buy gift cards after I found some of them had expiry dates, and others start charge a service charge monthly after a period of time (usually 6 -12 months).  Sorry I'd give cash first!

[Lil Me]

I buy people gift cards all the time.  If they choose not to use them, that's their business!
 

[P.C.]

I hear ya Lil Me.....that's a good point.  It IS up to the recipient to use it.  Unfortunately, I get stuck on the notion that I just gave....I mean really just GAVE a store 75 bucks.....(or whatever amount).

I was more than just a little amazed at that figure.  Consumers have given a gift to the stores, in the tune of 8 billion bucks.

[lazy Marik]

I don't understand. Why would the recipient not use the gift card? There has got to be something that they could make use of. Or at least sell it to someone, give it to a friend, anything but not use it at all!  

[P.C.]

I don't think they do it on purpose.  I think the key is to use it immediately......otherwise, it goes in a drawer somewhere (for safe keeping) only to be discovered again two days after it expired.

[purelife]

I agree with you Lil Me.  They're missing out on not using gift cards.  

[Sportsdude]

everyone in my family seems to just want gift cards, sort of takes the fun of buying out of it. Usually gift cards just were for colleagues.  

[purelife]

Usually gift cards just were for colleagues

  Since when?

[Sportsdude]

Well it wasn't really for 'family'. Growing up I only gave out gift cards to people at church, who would give out gift cards to me. Everyone would give the teacher gift cards before the holiday break. 'stocking stuffer'.
Now they've become what everyone just wants because they don't really ask for anything nor want to apparently. So its like "oh you wouldn't know what I'd want so just get me a gift card". Sort of takes the fun out of the whole gift buying process. Its like we all fear rejection of a gift so we 'play it safe' with the gift card.
 

[Russ]

i still go with booze for guys and flowers/ chocolates for chicks. Either that or my above BCL gift cards.

[Lil Me]

Russmeister, that's very chauvanist of you.  Grrrrrls drink, ya know!  

[purelife]

I prefer booze over chocolates too!