Gift cards are a popular gift for holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. According to the National Retail Federation, gift cards will be sold for nearly $25 billion in 2008. Discover Card also conducted a poll and found that 54 percent said they had received between one-five and five gift certificates during the holidays.
It’s not surprising that gift cards are often forgotten or lost. These tips from Discover Card will help you ensure you get the most out of your gift cards.
Keep gift cards organized in a safe place. People often forget to keep their gift cards safe so that they don’t waste the money. You can carry your gift card collection with you, even if they go to the bottom of your drawer.
Label gift cards. It will be easier to shop if you know the dollar amount on your card. A trick that may work is to tape a piece of maskingtape to the back and write the new balance each use. You can also track the balance of gift cards with convenient lines.
Shop online. You can make the most of gift cards by making sales right from your own home. You can store your gift card online so that you will remember to use it when you check out. Many gift cards can be sent electronically. Those who don’t plan to use traditional gift cards may choose to send an egift card.
You can use gift cards to purchase gifts for others. You can use gift cards to buy gifts for other occasions and birthdays if you have a limited budget. You can use the gift card anywhere Discover accepts it, even if it is a general-purpose card like a Discover Gift Card.
Donate the gift cards. Donations of gift cards are accepted by many charitable organizations. This donation option may be available to your favorite charity.
Swap it. You can trade, buy or sell your gift cards on a variety of Web sites. If you’re feeling creative, consider swapping cards with friends and coworkers to trade for the cards they want.
Discover Gift Card information can be found at www.discover.com/giftcard.
