![\"photo](\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GIFT-CARDS-1.png\")
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There’s always a lot of fuss this time a year about gift cards. Some people love them, and some people hate them. I’m sort of in the middle.<\/p>\n
Related >><\/strong> Discounted Gift Cards: The New Coupon<\/a><\/p>\n I like to receive gift cards for certain stores. Over the past year, for example, I’ve accumulated $185 in Land’s End gift cards, and I wouldn’t be surprised to receive more this Christmas. I haven’t used any of them yet, though I’ve checked to be sure I’m not going to get dinged because of it. Sometime this spring, after my birthday, I’m going to have an on-line shopping spree \u2014 and it won’t cost me a dime.<\/p>\n Still, the critics have some valid complaints.<\/p>\n Last week, my cousin reminded me of a gift card that Kris and I gave him a couple years ago. “It was a nice gesture,” he said, “and I know you meant well, but it’s not anything I’ll ever use. It’s been sitting on the kitchen counter for two years, and will probably be sitting there two years from now.”<\/p>\n That’s one problem with gift cards \u2014 here are some others:<\/p>\n Because of the potential problems, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has issued a consumer alert on buying, giving, and using gift cards<\/a>.<\/p>\n Despite the naysayers, Americans love gift cards. They love to give them, and they love to receive them. According to the December 2007 issue of the Consumer Reports Money Advisor<\/i>, last year gift cards were the second-most popular gift to give. They were also the gift that women most wanted to receive. (They were number three on the list for men.)<\/p>\n According to both FTC and Money Advisor<\/i>, there are few simple steps that gift card recipients can take to minimize potential problems:<\/p>\n Related >><\/strong> Picking the right high-yield savings<\/a><\/p>\n The FTC also notes:<\/p>\n If your card expires before you’ve had a chance to use it or exhaust its value, contact the issuer. They may extend the date, although they may charge a fee to do it. Some merchants have stopped charging inactivity fees or imposing expiration dates, so it pays to check with the issuer to make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date information.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n When giving gift cards, always include a copy of the receipt. Some card issuers require a receipt to replace a lost or stolen card. Also, do your best to research possible hidden fees or other nuisances (such as expiration dates).<\/p>\n Blogger Lazy Man recently explained why he buys gift cards<\/a>. He thinks it’s more acceptable to give a gift card than money, likes that recipients can pick their own gifts, and is happy that he can save a little cash when buying them. Jim at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, on the other hand, doesn’t like them. Finally, Liz Pulliam Weston says that gift cards are not<\/i> gifts<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There’s always a lot of fuss this time a year about gift cards. Some people love them, and some people hate them. I’m sort of in the middle.<\/p>\n<\/span>The Problems With Gift Cards<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/span>Using Gift Cards Wisely<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/span>Further Reading<\/span><\/h2>\n
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