Pet peeve: Gift cards

[ksaves2]

My family never used or never gave as gifts, gift cards. I had a new furnace and air conditioner installed last September 2019 and got a sizable rebate in the form of a gift card for the first time in my life. I used it for purchases at the grocery store and Wal-mart after “activation”. I was expecting that once the card got down “low” in funds, when used for payment it would be sucked dry and the clerk would ask for additional forms of payment. No way! When the card got low as to not cover the total purchase the clerk asked me, “How much do you want to use?” I didn’t know how much was left on the card! Yeah, I went to look it up later but I was pissed as hell (not at the clerk or store) as I immediately realized this was designed into the gift card paradigm. I whipped out a mainstream credit card and completed the purchase as it was no big deal to me except as I learned about the gift card scam.

If used until the gift card gets low on funds, one can’t just have the store clerk suck the rest off the card and tell you the balance you need to come up with! That really sucks. May God condemn to Hades the whole gift card industry as I’m sure a lot of cards expire with residual cash on them. Pure profit! They should be outlawed. Yeah, one can go to “ a website” and look it up but what a p.i.t.a. Especially if an older, non-computer literate person is the recipient of such a card/scam.

It could be changed if the store clerk could see there was only so much left on the card and advise the purchaser. They would have to decide to complete the purchase using another form of payment to make up the difference or to cancel the purchase and walk away. That would be more efficient, fair and easy so one could use all the cash on the card!

Or.................... Go back to gift certificates although that ties one to a particular vendor. If you know your recipient uses the purveyor, it’s a much better option as the gift certificate can be redeemed and if the bill is more than the cost, the user knows they’ll have to have another payment option available up front.

Any other opinions and strategies are welcomed on this topic. Kurt Savegnago

 

[Scott Hala]

I've always kept the last receipt from the last use as it usually has the remaining balance on it

 

[heada]

Some gift cards do give you the balance after every use. Mostly these are are restaurants and are printed on the receipt. Also, every gift card I've had has a number or website to go to where you can check the balance. Since my work gives gift cards out as "thank you" type things alot, I've gotten into the habit of writing the balance on the card with a sharpie after every use. I'll drain a card to within $0.05 of its value on a regular basis.

 

[neil_w]

I've gotten into the habit of writing the balance on the card with a sharpie after every use. I'll drain a card to within $0.05 of its value on a regular basis.

Yup, that's what I do. It becomes a "fun" exercise trying to figure out a way to use every last penny, or as close to it as possible.

In some stores, I do recall doing what Kurt is asking for, which is drain the remainder of the gift card and then ask for payment for the rest. Can't remember which, though, it's been a while since I've, y'know, bought something normally in a store.

 

[cerving]

Was that a Visa prepaid card? Yeah, those suck... sometimes they charge you a monthly fee, and if you don't use it for awhile the balance can go down to zero just from the fee. In CA, gift cards cannot expire, so that's the sneaky way that the issuer can get some extra money out of people that don't use them (or forget they have them).

My family gets and gives gift cards all the time, but not the Visa ones. It helps to know what the recipient likes... then you get them a matching card.

 

[Banzai88]

Damn, I must be old. I remember picking out a greeting card, even a cheap one, and putting a $50 in it. Still do that for folks that I want to give something to, like my mail carrier, for taking great care of my HUGE volume of packages with care every year.

Wouldn't ever dream of simply substituting a 'gift card'.

My children will sometimes get 'gift cards' from other folks for birthdays and Christmas. We track the balances on the receipt.

 

[JLP1]

I've had them say "you have $5.00 left on your card do you want to recharge the card or do want to use the remaining amount toward the balance". If you use it they will usually toss it for you after the transaction. The biggest thing they hope for is that you will never use it. They know millions in cards are given every year and they also know that folks will tuck the Christmas card or whatever away and forget all about that $50 bucks Aunt Susie gave you in the form of the card. I read somewhere that 40 to 45% of the cards out there never get redeemed. And then there are the ones that start sucking away a dollar or 2 every month you don't use......Good Racket to be in for some.

 

[davel]

Prepaid credit cards or actual 'gift' cards? If you get a rebate in the form of a prepaid credit card, that to me is not a 'gift card'. I have never had any problems using them to the last cent - if the purchase is over what is on the card the retailer has always just used up the card and then told me the remaining charges which I pay with a different method.

Gift cards, such as a $50 certificate for restaurant X.... Never did understand why anyone would buy these as gifts. Why are you, as the gift giver, making the decision as to where the recipient should go to eat? Why not just give the cash and let them decide for themselves?

 

[JLP1]

True Davel but some folks don't have the cash to give so they put them on their credit card and hope like crazy they will be able to pay their credit card off after the first of the year.

 

[sandeja1]

I used to be able to use the remaining balance (less than $1) towards purchasing Amazon gift cards which I then used up by buying something and adding whatever else was needed using my regular card.

Now though, Amazon requires a "minimum" of $1 (I think, could be wrong) to purchase a gift card so in response I just use the gift card down to under $5 and do the same.

There are also some places on the Internet, or used to be, that would let you give them the small balance gift cards that they could then consolidate and use the money collected/consolidated to help those in need. If I can find the one I used before again I will post a link here for those that might be interested.

 

[ksaves2]

Thanks for the responses. They‘re helpful. Kurt

 

[T-Rex]

I have bought gift cards from things like hotel points or airline miles that are about to expire (assuming I have enough). I try to get a Visa or Mastercard type. I keep track of the balance on line. When it gets low, I will usually go to the corner store and tell them I want $X in gas. Drains the card completely.

 

[georgegassaway]

Weird. At my job at Target, I have guests that pay with gifts cards a lot, sometimes with several five dollar gift cards (as Target has a lot of promotions that give out $5 gift cards frequently, at least for the savvy shoppers who pay attention to various "Buy 4 of XYZ products, or $40 of groceries or $40 of cleaning supplies and get a $$ Gift card" ).

Anyway...... when they pay with gift cards, and the value is used up with a balance remaining, there is >ALWAYS< the option to pay the remaining balance with cash, credit card, even check. So I'm surprised to see that there are some businesses /cards that do NOT have that option.

And I've never run into a problem with any other brands of gift cards I've personally used....though I have not done a lot.

But also, this rant thread ought to focus more on the specific businesses / cards that have such a ridiculous policy.

Because it is not all gift cards that do that.

 

[EvryThngIsAOk]

Prepaid credit cards or actual 'gift' cards? If you get a rebate in the form of a prepaid credit card, that to me is not a 'gift card'. I have never had any problems using them to the last cent - if the purchase is over what is on the card the retailer has always just used up the card and then told me the remaining charges which I pay with a different method.

Gift cards, such as a $50 certificate for restaurant X.... Never did understand why anyone would buy these as gifts. Why are you, as the gift giver, making the decision as to where the recipient should go to eat? Why not just give the cash and let them decide for themselves?

I agree never had an issue with them and we get them all the time from my wifes company

 

[NateB]

I used the $3 and change balance of a pre-paid Visa gift card at the grocery store today. I was surprised that it simply deducted the balance off my total. The last time I tried to use one of these with less funds than my total, it was declined for insufficient funds. I don't know if this was a change on the gift card processor or Kroger's point of sale system, but it made me happy.

 

[mo2872]

Odd, I’ve never had them NOT be able to run one empty, and then ask for the balance of the purchase.

 

[AfterBurners]

I agree with the OP but what pisses me off about gift cards is you pay $6 just to buy one, why not give cash? I mean I understand about how a company would do it, but for me most of the gift cards I give are for store specific places to avoid the scam. I'll never give someone a VISA gift card for example because I think paying the $6 is a another way of ripping you off. I'll give that person cash or what I sometimes I do with my Mom I have her roll the dice for Christmas or her birthday...if anyone wants to know what that means ask me...its a game I came up with and it can be enjoy by all. You might want to share it with someone in your family for Christmas

 

[Tobor]

My wife gives gift cards to family members for Christmas. She knows who likes to shop where and so buys the cards accordingly. Never an issue for the recipient's.

For myself, I have received numerous gift cards over the last ten+ years for Walmart, Starbucks, Newegg, Amazon, etc... I have never run into a "gift card scam" situation. I believe the scam is only applicable to 2nd tier providers. All the major retail and online players cannot afford the blow back from playing a scam on the masses. At least not when it comes to gift cards.

 

[Peartree]

Lately, whenever I use one, I keep the receipt that lists, at the bottom, the remaining balance, and then write that balance in sharpy marker on the face of the card when I get home.

 

[Bill S]

I hate gift cards. Many times it restricts you where you can use it, and they are no safer than cash. If stolen or lost in the mail, just as gone. Just give me cash if you must.

 

[Marc_G]

When I get a gift card (prepaid visa/MC that is) as a rebate or whatnot, I always put the full balance into Amazon and throw out the card right after. Basically, I buy "gift card balance" on amazon with the prepaid debit card. That way I use it once, in full, and never have to think of it again.

 

[Omniasa]

I was never a fan of gift cards. I had once a gift card from Walmart, it was a gift for my birthday from a co-worker, and when I got to the checkout they told me that the gift card sold was 0. It was such a strange situation. Since then I never use gift cards

 

[GlenP]

Our school uses a website vendor for gift cards that earns rebates for the school as a fundraiser. Some vary from like 3% up to 15% for various stores and restaurants. We buy them for ourselves regularly and you can send e-cards that can be used from a smart phone or printed on paper. Some schools would sell big coupon books as a fundraiser, this is just another variation on the theme.

I use a reloadable pre-paid gas station card so I can get their lower cash price and use the pay-at-the-pump card reader, rather than having to actually go in to the store and pre-pay with cash for the cash discount, compared to the credit card fees that they charge, and the school gets a rebate.

There are some scams associated with gift cards, but I have not had any problems with this particular source, I mostly use their print-at-home cards.

I got several from Home Depot and was able to use them to pay their home services to install a fence, it was a large job, and I had to use several of their max $500 cards to pay for it, but that raised some good money for the school. Also, I got a new electric lawn mower on gift cards, lawn fertilizer and compost, etc, they have Lowes and Ace Hardware cards also. I got a new dryer from Sears on gift cards, a new set of tires from their auto center, wiper blades from AutoZone, a small TV from BestBuy, etc...

Also, for my music hobby Guitar Center has gift cards, and I have spent quite a bit on a guitar, amp, pedals, mic, mixer, stands, etc there, both in-store and mail-order. So, it does not take much effort on my part, and it helps raise money for the school. I usually buy them when I plan to make a purchase and know that I will spend them right away. Our rebates to the school last year were like $500, for things that I would have bought anyway.

 

[Peartree]

We've never had a problem using remaining balances. Sometimes we use two or three semi depleted cards plus a little cash to complete a transaction.

Similarly, we have often handed a gift card, or three, to a cashier and simply asked what the balance was. They have never failed to simply swipe the cards and tell us.