Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Discounted Gift Cards Buying Tips

By Ronen Amit


1. Buy from a particular merchant, instead of a credit card company.

With general purpose gift card deals offered by American Express or Visa, you end up paying $3.95 to $6.95 extra, not to mention a $4.95/month surcharge after six months. Although you may use these cards nearly anywhere, you end up wasting lots of funds with their fees. On the other hand, a merchant gift card tells you where to spend, but you pay no charges whatsoever.

2. Consider the needs and wants of the individual you are buying for.

If you are not sure what discounted gift cards to buy, ask close friends and family members where that person shops. For girls, some of the most popular gift cards include Bed, Bath & Beyond, Bath & Body Works, Zappos, Bebe and Urban Outfitters. For fellows, you might want to try Home Depot, Coleman, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Lids or Mens Wearhouse.

3. Consider the fees and expiration dates.

A 2010 gift card deals protection law specifies that no fees may be charged if gift cards have been used in the past 12 months and states that all gift cards must be active for a minimum of 5 years.

4. Trade in old gift cards for new discounted gift cards.

Why hold onto old gift cards that you never really wanted? Use your old gift card deals to trade for better gift card specials. Get bigger bang for your buck and shop exactly where you would like to. Your old gift card is virtually as good as money!

5. Look for current gift card specials.

Do you know late-breaking gift card specials can be delivered right to your mailbox? register for email alerts to be notified about the best new gift card deals before they're grabbed. You can follow a Twitter feed where discounted gift cards are promoted.




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