Gift cards - Love them or hate them

[Strive]

Okay, I might be the only one who thinks this. But I think gift cards are one of the worst gifts out there. Just give me the cash. I don't want anyone telling me where to shop.

I personally hate them. A card with cash in it is much better.

[Intense1920]

I don't mind them personally. The people who have given me gift cards know my tastes and I put the cards to good use. I have given gift certificates to family members that can be used in any store in the malls back home.

[ladygreek]

My daughter just bought a condo. So for Christmas I gave her gift cards to her favorite home accessory stores--Target, Pier I, Illumine.com, and Pottery Barn. I also gave her a gift card to Starbucks because she will need to keep the caffeine flowing during her packing and moving stage - LOL.

She loved them because she can get what she wants when she wants it. It made my life simple and made her happy. Plus she didn't have to try to figure out all to get additional stuff in her suitcase to go back home.

But I agree. You need to know the person's tastes for them to be really effective gifts.

[Special1920]

I like them.

I buy them, I give them, I use them. I consider them very good gifts

[CrimsonTide4]

I love em.

I just used my Wal Mart one. and still have $30 left.

[33girl]

It depends - if someone gave me a gift card to H. Baskin (local home of sweaters with farm scenes on them) I might be a little upset. However all my gift-card givers have been smart enough to give me cards for either department stores or Ulta.

[1browngirl]

I love them. Anyone that knows me knows I love Target, so I'll take a gift card any day. My company also gives us gift cards or Amex gift cheques for special recognition (like perfect attendance, for example).

[Eclipse]

For me gift cards are a little better than cash because it's easier for me to just "spend" the cash on stupid stuff versus buying something specific with the gift card and saying "so and so got me X". Biggest drawback to gift cards vs cash: EXPIRATION DATES!! My boss gave me a MasterCard gift card last year for Christmas and I stuck it in my wallet and forgot about it. How about the sucker was good for 1 year it seems and it expired on me! I'm going to call them and see if there is anything I can do about it, but I really don't want her to know. I read in a recent newspaper article that unredeemed gift cards are a major money maker for department store. In addition to expiration dates, many cards have monthly fees if you do not use them by a certain point. For what?? It's not like they really have to DO anything, plus they are getting the money interest free!

[Jill1228]

Love them, especially if they are from stores I like (MAC, Lush, Nordies, Target, Wal-Mart)

[Azul]

I have two daughters who are in college (both live at home). For Christmas they received a new purse and wallet filled with gift cards from Nordstorm, Target, Robinson/May, Learners and Barnes and Noble.

Ladygreek, I wish I had thought about the Starbuck card, for those all night study/paper due sessions.

[rho4life]

I would rather get a gift card to a store I like instead of the ugly old lady purse that Santa mistakenly left under the tree

But the expiration and gradual taking money off if you don't use it bothers me.

[jojapeach]

Originally posted by Eclipse
For me gift cards are a little better than cash because it's easier for me to just "spend" the cash on stupid stuff...

You took the words out of my mouth. Cash is always cool, but it's nice to know that someone knows me well enough to know where I like to shop. Honestly, I can wear out a Wal-Mart or Target card because I can get basic life items there, but you can also splurge on CDs, PC software, electronics, etc. Rich's is also a good choice becuase it's definitely not a discount place, but most people can appreciate the store.

Originally posted by Eclipse
Biggest drawback to gift cards vs cash: EXPIRATION DATES!!...I read in a recent newspaper article that unredeemed gift cards are a major money maker for department store. In addition to expiration dates, many cards have monthly fees if you do not use them by a certain point. For what?? It's not like they really have to DO anything, plus they are getting the money interest free!

That is some raggedy mess, but these coroporations are in the business of making money. I used to work in a customer service call center for a big retailer, and the best advice is to read the back of the card, call a store or company office, or visit the website for clarity. Everyone doesn't charge fees, and some companies, i.e. Barnes & Noble, even stopped charging fees in response to the public's outrage to those practices. Honestly, I can see letting a Bloomingdale's or Nordstrom's card lapse because everyone doesn't shop there everyday. Wal-Mart or Target...? No sympathy.

[Strive]

I must admit gift cards are convenient. I just don't like no one teling me where to shop.
What boils me is false advertisment, stores claim you can use it just like cash. It is not like cash. It is a store debit card.

Once again I am marching to my own music.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Strive
I must admit gift cards are convenient. I just don't like no one teling me where to shop.
What boils me is false advertisment, stores claim you can use it just like cash. It is not like cash. It is a store debit card.

Once again I am marching to my own music.

To make it easier on YOU, how about you give me ALL of the gift cards you get? I'll take them off of your hands. That would definitely have you marching to your own music and me marching off to the stores!! (see we are both winners)

[Strive]

LOL, only if you give me the cash.