Help! I Have Dozens of Gift Cards!
What to do with All These Gift Cards
Almost every home I enter has gift cards that pop up all over the home. They were forgotten or no one knows where they came from. And for sure, no one knows if they are still good or how much money may or may not be on them. Most of the time the gift cards are out of sight, out of mind. If you find yourself in this same predicament, here are some tips to help you use those gifts that people gave you.
Where to Store Gift Cards
First things first. Go on a scavenger hunt and round up all the gift cards you can from around your house.
No matter the amount of gift cards you have, keep them all in one place. Try a labeled envelope or a rubber band to contain them. You may consider keeping your gift cards in a file in the file cabinet or maybe in a special place in a desk drawer or entry way. If you find that the gift cards still aren’t being used, try the next tip.
Store a handful of gift cards in your wallet. If you find it difficult to remember to spend other people’s money (ahem, a gift card), put it in front of your money (your cash or card) so that you’ll see it first and use it. (See more tips on how to use gift cards below.)
If you have gift cards for multiple people in your household, let each person have their own envelope with their name on it. I recommend that they all stay in the same place unless the owner of the gift cards is responsible enough to have them in their own possession.
How to Use Gift Cards
Be honest, do you ever go to (enter gift card business name here)? If you don’t, give it away to someone who will use it. If the thoughts of regifting give you the creeps, don’t make it a gift-gift, make it just a “I thought of you today” gift.
Gift cards are, um, money so use them like money. The trick is that most gift cards are for specific store. So how can you remember to use them?
My favorite fun suggestion for how to use gift cards is to have Gift Card Days! You may have gift cards for meals, desserts, clothes, games, books, outings. You may be able to cover an entire day of staycation with gift cards! Plan one day that you (or you and one child or your whole family) enjoy a full day FREE (or at a super reduced rate to you) using gift cards! Did you know there is an actual National Use Your Gift Cards Day? It’s the third Saturday in January. But I say do it anytime!
How to Keep Track of Gift Card Balances
But what happens when you don’t spend the entire gift card in one transaction? How on earth do you keep up with the balances? No one wants to keep up with the receipt that tells you the balance. My tip is to use a permanent marker to write the balance on the gift card. Each time there is still a balance, cross out the old balance and write the new balance.
What tips do you have for using gift cards?