Gift Cards

[WebLady]

Love em or Hate em?

[bichonlvr]

Love em!!!!

Love them because they are soo easy, but sometimes I get them from a place I never go then I ALWAYS pick things that are more and then I spend my own $$$!!

[WebLady]

I love gift cards and even prefer them sometimes; I am sort of picky and would rather get what I want than to get a gift I won't use.

So when people ask me what I want 9 out of 10 times I will list a few places to get me a gift card from ;)

[SerendipityCrafts]

I don't like them but I buy them from time to time

Upside -

lets others buy what they really want
they are a quick and easy gift

Downside -

they expire
they can get lost and are irreplaceable
they seem impersonal
the recipients know exactly what you have spent on them
the company makes a gazillion dollars off them because apparently only 40% of people redeem them

[bichonlvr]

Downside -

they expire


Not in California, they can not legally expire, pretty cool huh??!

[domeafavor]

I don't mind them. I voted sometimes depends on who is giving. I think its so hard to find the right gift for every person on your gift list. I would hate to get someone something that they never use.

I check the terms of gift cards before purchasing, would hate to buy one and if the person doesn't use it and there are fees attached to the card. I try to pick ones with no fees or expiration dates.

[lizardbnorton]

I don't mind getting them, as long as its a place I shop in. I hate it when I get them and don't use them forever, because I never go to that place. I don't like buying them for people though. I feel like I'm being way too impersonal by not buying them something.

[KMS]

Sure, gift cards are great!

[WBandMe]

I love them! Not from like, FH or anything, but from people who don't know me as well it's great. Also it's nice to buy stuff that I would NEVER buy with my own money because I'm too cheap, hehe.

[StarCoveter]

I voted "other" because it depends on the store. I do love gift cards, so I can buy what I want. But if it's at a store I don't go to, I stress out thinking I have to spend this money and I don't know what to buy because I dont' want to waste the money!

[TangoWedding]

I voted 'other' because I'm kinda MEH about them. I don't HATE them, really...but I certainly don't love them.

FH would prefer that we ONLY register for gift cards. LOL He always gives gift cards...at every occasion (birthdays, Christmas, weddings, etc) and I'm always telling him to GET A REAL GIFT!!!!!

:bblol: His family always does that, though...so it comes naturally. I'd rather give/get actual gifts. Especially if there's a registry.

HOWEVER...I do loooove getting gift cards from restaurants. Not regular stores though.

[ikkin510]

I'm an other person. There are some people that I will buy gift cards for because I don't know what to get them, but do know a favorite store of theirs. I try to give a gift whenever possible though, if I know what a person wants.
As for receiving them, I think I like actually gifts better. They seem more heartfelt and like more thought went into though. But now that I have my baby shower this weekend, I'm hoping for gift cards because I would like to buy the things that I need and want, and have to worry about what other people thought were cute or what they thought was a better idea then what I registered for.

[70707Bride]

I voted other. Its not that it depends on who its from, but what it is for. I like them though, because you can't go wrong with gift cards, you can get what you want :)!

[rainbowtreat]

I like them. When it is jsut cash I thend to spend it on bills and the kdis and not myself. With a gift card I have to use it for me and that is something I don't normaly get a chance to do. Soem times thought for liek a work ss thing i think it is better not to get some one one. it is fun to open gifts and see what every one got. You get excited just to see what peole thought to get. Getting a gift card is not much fun when it comes to something like that.

[Nekochanpurr]

I don't mine gift cards. I mostly just appreciate getting something. :) However, i feel bad when i get a giftcard for a place i don't use (like Macy's.. Don't feel like taking out a loan for a shirt, thanks, lol)..

[WebLady]

I was talking about this sort of thing with a friend last night; I hate to get one for a place I don't shop too. Usually people ask me or know me well enough, so I haven't had much trouble with that.

I got a notice from my bank yesterday pushing those Visa Gift Card things. It is like a credit card that you can use anywhere. You can get them at the bank in just about any amount; but they cost like $4 each.

I may still get a few of these for gifts.

[SerendipityCrafts]

I got a notice from my bank yesterday pushing those Visa Gift Card things. It is like a credit card that you can use anywhere. You can get them at the bank in just about any amount; but they cost like $4 each.

I may still get a few of these for gifts.

Now I would consider those for the kids. Then they could shop anywhere they wanted but do you know if they can they be replaced if they are lost?

[Nekochanpurr]

I was talking about this sort of thing with a friend last night; I hate to get one for a place I don't shop too. Usually people ask me or know me well enough, so I haven't had much trouble with that.

I got a notice from my bank yesterday pushing those Visa Gift Card things. It is like a credit card that you can use anywhere. You can get them at the bank in just about any amount; but they cost like $4 each.

I may still get a few of these for gifts.

Steve and i get those from his grandma, they are pretty awesome! :frogg: You just have to be careful, because i think they start charging from the gift card after like, a year or something, so you might not get to use it if you can't find it for a while! We've never had this problem though, haha, ours finds stuff to be spent on pretty quick!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Now I would consider those for the kids. Then they could shop anywhere they wanted but do you know if they can they be replaced if they are lost?

Well there goes that idea!

I just got off the phone. I called Visa Canada to inquire about the availability of a pre-paid visa gift card, in Canada. They gave me the contact info for three different banks that are supposed to issue these cards. The first two institutions do not offer this type of visa card and the third told me that I will not have enough time.

I can't use my own visa card to purchase the card .... instead, I have to send a money order or certified cheque to Toronto and wait for them to process my application. I thought this was to be a great gift giving solution but not if I have to jump through hoops to get them. :censored:

Oh and I found out ..... because they are not personalized like a real Visa card, if they are lost or stolen there is an automatic $20 fee to have them replaced and oh yes, some expire in 9 months while others expire after a year.

[WebLady]

hmmm; I may need to call my bank and see how the Visa gift cards work out here :bbconfused:

[EarlyBird]

i like them. last xmas i got one for a place i didnt really shop and forced myself to go to a place where i got it.. it was cool cuz i wound up loving the place and shop there all the time now :)

[WebLady]

hmmm; I may need to call my bank and see how the Visa gift cards work out here :bbconfused:
I called the bank and they expire in a year, but if you don't use them in 6 months they start taking like $2 a month from the balance :purplex: Seems weird, but I don't see it being a problem; I may still get a couple.

I have told everyone this year that I want gift cards from my fav places ;)

[sjk1431]

Yes, I even prefer them!