More Adventures in Frugality

**elphie** · 01-11-2009, 12:24 PM

A few months ago I posted about my challenges of shopping without meaning... you can find that story here...

https://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/...s+in+frugality

Last night dh and I had an equally comic experience and were laughing all the way through the store. For Christmas we received some Wal-mart gift cards worth a total of $100. We decided that since we don't normally do our grocery shopping (or any shopping really) at Wal-mart that we would use this as an opportunity to get something that would be useful and perhaps even save us money in the long run. We weren't really sure what this would be, we thought about a new food processor because it really helps with cooking from scratch and mine broke but them my mom got me one for Christmas. But we were thinking something along these lines. Sure, we could use it to buy oil for the car or minutes for my cell phone but we really wanted to buy something with long term use that we could appreciate and think of the generousity of the people who gave us the cards.

We started off in electronics as dh needed new earbuds for his MP3 player, his were crackling. We got the cheap ones for $10. We then looked around in electronics and computer accessories but nothing really seemed worth it. So we moved on to small kitchen appliances.

We walked up and down the aisles, looking for something useful, thought about a new deep fryer cause ours is so small but then decided it was small but still worked so nope, not really needing it. We looked at the bag sealers but were shocked by the cost of the film we would have to buy to use this gadget.

We moved on to office supplies. No need for a paper shredder since we burn all of our financial documents in our wood furnace. No need for a wall calander cause we got them free from the bank. No need for any of this... ok, maybe we'll move on to lawn and garden.

Hmm... nothing here but a bunch of leftover Christmas stuff that we don't really need. Okay, maybe in automotive

Now, who on earth would need floormats with a cartoon character on them?

We are laughing by now. So far we have picked up the earbuds, a manual canopener to replace ours that broke a few days ago, dh needed new socks and that's it. We spent a total of $20 and had no need for anything else in that huge store. I guess we'll just save them for when something breaks... anyone know how long those things are good for?

**Jayne** · 01-11-2009, 12:55 PM

Your smart not to waste it on things that you don't really need!!...I would check with Walmart to see if you lose money on them if you are gonna hold on to them..

**redhead68** · 01-11-2009, 02:32 PM

Sometimes, if I receive a gift card that I can't use, I spend it to purchase a gift for the giver at a later date. I love to read, but use the library for all of my reading material. Family members love to buy me bookstore or Amazon gift cards. At Amazon, many people keep wish lists, and I simply purchase something from my giver's list for their next birthday, using the card. Shhhh! Don't tell anyone.

**guest002** · 01-11-2009, 02:49 PM

I'd just save it until you need something.

**LastDragonfly** · 01-11-2009, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by redhead68

Sometimes, if I receive a gift card that I can't use, I spend it to purchase a gift for the giver at a later date. I love to read, but use the library for all of my reading material. Family members love to buy me bookstore or Amazon gift cards. At Amazon, many people keep wish lists, and I simply purchase something from my giver's list for their next birthday, using the card. Shhhh! Don't tell anyone.

Now that's a good idea! It's like they are secretly buying their own gift. tee hee.

**momof2joys** · 01-11-2009, 03:31 PM

If you have multiple cards, maybe you could give one as a present or something. I have done this before, we got a lot of gift cards to Target one year, we don't have a Target near us (the nearest one to us is 2 hours away), so I gave on of the $25 dollar cards to my SIL, who has a Target 20 minutes from her house!! Shhh, don't tell her!! LOL!!

Or save them and use them as your gift money. If someone needs a gift, use the money from the gift cards, instead of your own!! LOL!!

As far as the expiration on the cards, I don't think they have one, but double check with the store!!

**khjmom** · 01-11-2009, 04:24 PM

I think they hold their value until you actually use one. Then if you have a remaining balance, it seems that after a certain time, they charge a sevice fee. I would just double check, which you can do online.

**thesightofoneself** · 01-11-2009, 04:46 PM

i sell my gift cards. i like cash.

**annertak** · 01-11-2009, 06:40 PM

Do you have a grocery attached to your Walmart? If so, that's what I would do with it. Otherwise, you could just hold on to it until you have birthdays, etc., to buy gifts for others. Saves money out of your pocket!

**Gardengal18** · 01-11-2009, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by thesightofoneself

i sell my gift cards. i like cash.

I've done that as well. I've gotten a couple of Sephora gift cards in the past and since I'm allergic to perfume I've walked into the store told them I can't use anything due to my allergies and walked out with the Ca$h in hand. Of course I've gotten some "looks" but what do I care what they think? I can't use the card, I can't use the card.

**homesteadmamma** · 01-11-2009, 07:39 PM

Great job on not buying what you don't need. I would check with Walmart to see if there is an expiry date. If there is, you might want to use it for groceries if your Walmart has groceries. When I got a gc from Walmart, that's what I used it for.