According to The New York Times, nearly $5 billion in gift cards goes unused each year! That's right, $5 BILLION! That's a lot of wasted money!
So, if gift cards are supposed to be the perfect gift, why aren't we using them? In a Time Magazine survey, 27% of people had an unused gift card because…
- They had no time to shop.
- They couldn't find anything they wanted.
- They forgot about the gift card!
Maybe gift cards aren't the perfect gift after all!
How much of that $5 billion is sitting around your house? I'll wait while you take a moment to go dig through your drawers and go dig though your wallet because there's money to be found!
Now that you've found a few lost and lonely gift cards, what are your options?
- Use the gift card! Plan a gift card only shopping spree!
- Regift the gift card if it's never been used.
- Sell or trade the gift card. Sell Your Gift Cards For Cash at Cardpool.com!
It's gift card selling season!
If you're a bargain shopper, these unwanted gift cards are a treasure just waiting to be found! Buy Discounted Gift Cards For Up To 30% Off at Cardpool.com! As of today, you could buy a Macy's $25 gift card for $22.25 (11% savings), or how about a $50 Bath & Body Works card for $43.50 (13% savings).
Let's put an end to the gift card madness and save the billions of wasted dollars! Let's find homes for all the unused gift cards in the world!
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Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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In full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links to help support The Budget Diet girl! My advice will always be unbiased and free, but free won’t pay the bills! Thanks!
I never let mine go to waste either, but maybe we should all start a website and collect these babies for charities, paying down the national debt, like Pamela said, etc.;)
I love getting gift cards, but I hate having them. I make it a point to go spend them as soon as possible. The worst? Having most of a gift card spent but having just a few dollars left on it. It’s enough that I can’t just throw it away, but I resent that it’s taking up wallet space. I usually forget about it, and it rides in there for a few years with $6 left on it. Ugh!
I say you turn it into a “game” on a weekend when you have nothing to do…challenge yourself to spend a those gift cards with just a few dollars on items you need!
ok I’ve held on to a gift card for maybe a month at the longest—NEVER do they go unused–if I don’t use it for me it become a gift for someone!!! 5 Billion!! WOW Too bad we can’t put it toward the US debt! =^D
I hadn’t realized this was even a problem!! I can kind of see it though because I used to do it all the time with gift certificates, get them and forget them. I guess it would be the same thing!
Seriously, I have a bag full of half-used gift cards. Honestly, I forget to use them!
Great post. I have bought my husband gift cards because I don’t know what to get him. Then I worry about it for the six months he has it before finally using it. A few times I’ve wanted to take if back and spend it on myself. I could totally find SOMEthing at Dick’s Sports.
We have a stack of gift cards – mostly to buy books for the kids – but then we also get the books as gifts….I already feel like a library! I am going to have to start using them soon!
Leigh