How to Make the Most of Gift Cards
Re-gift general gift cards., Buffer your expenses with gift cards., Economize by using gift cards on sale items., Pair gift card purchases with coupons., Add gift card money to returns to buy more expensive items., Get double or extras whenever...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Re-gift general gift cards.
You can save yourself the expense of having to buy another gift for a birthday, holiday, and so on by re-gifting your gift card.
Earn extra points with the recipient of the card by prioritizing cards for stores they shop at often.
For example, if you need to buy a present for a friend who's interested in design, you might give that person a gift card from Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl's, or Pottery Barn.
You may want to avoid re-gifting any gift cards that have your name written or engraved on them. -
Step 2: Buffer your expenses with gift cards.
Save your gift cards up for expensive or lean times of the year.
Many gift cards endorsed by major networks, like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and so on, can even be used for paying bills.Major network endorsed cards can sometimes be used to add to the balance of some online accounts, like Amazon or PayPal., Gift cards can almost always be used on sale items.
By waiting for an item you want to go on sale, you can stretch the value of your gift card.
After major holidays and when items are out of season (like winter clothes in spring), are common sale times.You might coordinate your gift card shopping by doing an online keyword search for "best time of the year to buy " as in "best time of the year to buy winter clothes/electronics/etc."
You don't have to waste time cutting out physical coupons from the newspaper or magazines, though these can be combined with gift card purchases to save your gift card balance, too.
Electronic coupons or rebates paired with your gift card purchases can make your card balance last longer than it would have otherwise.If you don't have a coupon but have found an item you plan on purchasing with a gift card, take a quick moment to check online for "coupons, discounts, or rebates for ".Unless a coupon specifically says "online only," the store is legally obligated to honor the coupon or coupon code., You can boost the purchasing power of your gift card by adding money or credit you've earned back for a returned item to it.
If you receive a gift you don't like, return it and combine the return money with your gift card to buy things outside of the range of your gift card balance., Frequently, stores will run special buy one get one free or two for one deals.
These are an excellent investment for your gift cards.
Even if you don't need an extra of whatever item you are buying, you could always re-gift the second item, sell it on an online marketplace, like Amazon or Ebay, and so on.
Online sellers and overstock sites are common places you'll find buy one get one and two for one deals. -
Step 3: Economize by using gift cards on sale items.
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Step 4: Pair gift card purchases with coupons.
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Step 5: Add gift card money to returns to buy more expensive items.
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Step 6: Get double or extras whenever possible with gift cards.
Detailed Guide
You can save yourself the expense of having to buy another gift for a birthday, holiday, and so on by re-gifting your gift card.
Earn extra points with the recipient of the card by prioritizing cards for stores they shop at often.
For example, if you need to buy a present for a friend who's interested in design, you might give that person a gift card from Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl's, or Pottery Barn.
You may want to avoid re-gifting any gift cards that have your name written or engraved on them.
Save your gift cards up for expensive or lean times of the year.
Many gift cards endorsed by major networks, like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and so on, can even be used for paying bills.Major network endorsed cards can sometimes be used to add to the balance of some online accounts, like Amazon or PayPal., Gift cards can almost always be used on sale items.
By waiting for an item you want to go on sale, you can stretch the value of your gift card.
After major holidays and when items are out of season (like winter clothes in spring), are common sale times.You might coordinate your gift card shopping by doing an online keyword search for "best time of the year to buy " as in "best time of the year to buy winter clothes/electronics/etc."
You don't have to waste time cutting out physical coupons from the newspaper or magazines, though these can be combined with gift card purchases to save your gift card balance, too.
Electronic coupons or rebates paired with your gift card purchases can make your card balance last longer than it would have otherwise.If you don't have a coupon but have found an item you plan on purchasing with a gift card, take a quick moment to check online for "coupons, discounts, or rebates for ".Unless a coupon specifically says "online only," the store is legally obligated to honor the coupon or coupon code., You can boost the purchasing power of your gift card by adding money or credit you've earned back for a returned item to it.
If you receive a gift you don't like, return it and combine the return money with your gift card to buy things outside of the range of your gift card balance., Frequently, stores will run special buy one get one free or two for one deals.
These are an excellent investment for your gift cards.
Even if you don't need an extra of whatever item you are buying, you could always re-gift the second item, sell it on an online marketplace, like Amazon or Ebay, and so on.
Online sellers and overstock sites are common places you'll find buy one get one and two for one deals.
About the Author
Lori Bailey
Experienced content creator specializing in hobbies guides and tutorials.
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