Are you gift cards bringing or burned a hole in your pocket yet?

**dcompton** · 01-07-2012, 03:57 PM

Well, mine were presents, but not to me. In a moment of total brain freeze I ended up buying two extra Barnes and Noble gift cards for student workers I supervise.

Since they had Christmas pictures, I really couldn't give them out later for other occasions, and since I rarely shop there myself (I'm a Kindler), I wanted to use them before I forgot about them.

I went by on the way to work this afternoon and bought a small calendar to hang by my computer and next year's Christmas cards, both at half price, and a journal.

**Sumacaroni** · 01-07-2012, 04:50 PM

Both of the two I got are gone, no burning here

Texas Roadhouse for the Mister's bday on 12/30 and a JoAnn's was used up on yarn and a couple crochet hooks for my newfound hobby. That is all she wrote. I still have some beautiful dead presidents in hiding though!

**heartofmine** · 01-07-2012, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~Well I tried to yesterday. I got a Boscov's card for my birthday. Boscov's is a regional discount department store. I was going to get one or two pieces of discount luggage since DH will be going to CO to scout it out. Everything was too pricy for me. But by the time I figured that out I had the bug to get the luggage so I kept shopping other places until I got a great deal on a 3 piece, hard-side set.
We did need the luggage but I spent $100 of our money, not my free gift card money. *sigh* ~

Nuisance do you shop the Boscov online? They are having some killer sales online right now. I just placed an order. I love ordering from them and have gotten some great deals on stuff. Today I got my son a comforter set, dd curtains (only $6.99 a panel, 2 anchor hocking baking dishes (those only $2.99 each), and a pretty apron for $4.99 for my sis birthday.

We had $50.00 in Cracker Barrel gift cards that we used for lunch today. I could have used them for gifts but it was worth it to have my dh, ds, dd and I all together today for some family fun. I enjoyed it so much. Everyone is so busy all the time and it was great to have us all together for a whole day.

**Lynnwantstosave$$** · 01-08-2012, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by chickadee-7815

I heard recently on TV that many gift cards are never used. I find that so hard to believe. What a terrible waste!

If people think they are a waste to use or don't have time for them, Send them to me!!!

I've heard that report also.
I also just found a $100 gift card to Best Buy that i thought i threw away by accident and in California they are not allowed to deduct the balance due to non use, so yippeee to me!

**Lynnwantstosave$$** · 01-08-2012, 04:26 AM

Originally Posted by Buckeye5

spent a $25 gift card to Applebees (dinner out for me and DH) spent $6 on a Subway gift card yesterday. Spent my $50 visa gift card on groceries, and I still have 2-$50 gift cards to local hometown restaurants, $50 Red Lobster $19 to Subway $5 to Tim Hortons, oh yeah, and Dh and I used a $20 gc to a local Mexican rest. so yes, I have and I still have several to use, hoping to go to Pittsburgh] next Fri, and use some of the Red Lobster one, Dh and I datenight.

Awww, I miss Pittsburgh!! My hometown born and raised. I haven't been back for 9 years. Have fun!

**Buckeye5** · 01-08-2012, 10:22 AM

My daughter is one of those that never spends gift cards, while helping her clean up her room, I found three. I took them when she said she didn't want them.

**rosey7415** · 01-08-2012, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Buckeye5

My daughter is one of those that never spends gift cards, while helping her clean up her room, I found three. I took them when she said she didn't want them.

i cannot believe she didn't want them!! what is wrong with her??? lol i am sure that you will put them to good use.

**frugal.lass** · 01-08-2012, 12:46 PM

I didn't get many gift cards this year so I only have a card (leftover from last year) to La Senza (lingerie store) and my two new cards are to Home Depot and Indigo Books.

My family ended up mostly giving me cash this year so I try to make an effort to make sure it goes to "gift-y" spending instead of getting mixed in with my daily budget and bill paying. My family members find me VERY difficult to shop for so I try to make sure that when they DO give me cash, I can report back what it went to (they really like to hear what kind of "treat" I got for myself). For example, I'm putting the money my parents gave me towards re-doing my (extremely small) powder room. They laughed about getting me a toilet (and vanity!) for Christmas but they enabled me to re-do the bathroom earlier than planned and THAT meant a lot to me.

**Determined** · 01-08-2012, 12:59 PM

I had a plan to save up my gift cards for Christmas/the holidays THIS year (2012) since money is always tight around that time of year...

**Libby** · 01-08-2012, 01:06 PM

Burning a hole in my pocket, no. Hurting my back, yes.

While cleaning out numerous areas, I stumbled upon a ton of gift cards I had received that I had never used. I think the pile is 2-3" tall when they're stacked on top of each other and they sit in my wallet 'just in case' I pass by one of those stores and want to buy something. I think I'm secretly saving up for a rainy day.

**monkeywrangler71** · 01-08-2012, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by chickadee-7815

I heard recently on TV that many gift cards are never used. I find that so hard to believe. What a terrible waste!

Lots of gift cards around here that never get used. We have a $30 gc to The Keg that's been sitting in the dresser for 3 or 4 years. It's useless, since dinner at the Keg would cost about $100. I'm not going to spend $70 just to use a gc for $30. If I go out for an expensive meal, I want Italian or French, not steak. My daughter has who knows how many GCs for clothing stores where she doesn't shop. I still have a small balance on an Old Navy card that I've been trying to use up for at least 5 years.

Gift cards are only good if they are for places where you would actually shop. Otherwise you just waste money trying to use them up.

**mndtrp** · 01-08-2012, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

Gift cards are only good if they are for places where you would actually shop. Otherwise you just waste money trying to use them up.

I just get something that comes close, and then give the remainder to someone behind me in line. There's also websites that allow you to trade your gift cards, although I have never used one.

Originally Posted by chickadee-7815

I heard recently on TV that many gift cards are never used. I find that so hard to believe. What a terrible waste!

$2 Billion In Gift Cards Will Go Unused This Year - The Consumerist

Spoiler: Body of the article.

"If you received gifts this last holiday season, there's a good chance at least one of them was a gift card. But while the cards are an easy way to give someone a gift other than cash or socks, a number of people just aren't getting around to spending the money on those cards in a timely manner. The Philadelphia Inquirer talked to a researcher who calculates that $2 billion in gift cards will go unredeemed this year. Whether it's because they are lost, forgotten about — or maybe the recipient doesn't actually want anything at that particular store — that's a large pile of money that's been handed over to retailers who haven't had to do anything but scan a plastic card. On an up note, this number is a significant drop from the 2007 high-water mark, during which $2.6 billion was lost to fees alone, while another $3.5 billion vanished due to expiring cards. Thankfully, subsequent changes to gift card laws have gotten rid of most of those fees and expiration dates. But what happens to that money that goes unclaimed? The Inquirer reports that some states, rather than let retailers just claim the unused cards as profit, have seized unused gift card and gift certificate funds, meaning that consumers now need to go through their state treasurer to get the value of their gift. As of 2008, New York state had taken in $9.6 million in unclaimed gift card money but only $2,150 had been distributed to consumers. The Inquirer cites the following from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's website: “ Under Pennsylvania law, unused gift certificates are turned over to the Pennsylvania Department of the Treasury as unclaimed property. The business must turn the gift certificate over two years after expiration date. If there is no expiration date, then it must be turned over five years from the date of issuance. You may claim certificates from the Department of the Treasury by calling 1-800-222-2046. Thus far, the Pennsylvania state treasury has collected more than $2.7 million in unredeemed gift certificates and is currently seeking the rightful owners. ” "Ultimately, it's important for consumers to use their gift cards sooner rather than wait and possibly forget them," says the commonwealth's Treasurer Rob McCord. "The thing to look out for is whether your gift cards have expiration dates or fees... If they do, your gifts may legally become unclaimed property.""

I always use my cards within the first month they were received, and I've already spent the ones that were just given to me two weeks ago.

**imagine** · 01-09-2012, 12:38 PM

I also wonder if not being used means not all the card is used that year.

I had a gift card my my MIL to a nice and expensive online clothing store. It took me a year and a half from the time i receive them to spend the $$ and I only bought what I needed from the clearance section. And none of the card was used in the year it was received.

All the gift card received from Christmas 2011 sat unused until a a few days ago more than a week into 2012. Di those count as not being used? KWIM