Gift Cards

Gift cards, do you have them wasting away on your dresser or in your wallet?

The gift card industry is now big bucks.  Eighty billion was spent on gift cards in 2007, with a slight drop in the tough 08 economy.  Of that,  15-20 % of gift card value were never used.  A Billion Dollars-lost down the drain!!!!

That is a boon to those companies who sell a lot of  gift cards.  The sellers other advantage is up-spending.  That means folks spend more than is on the card-so using their own cash in addition to the card.

I am not going to get into the emotional aspects of gift card giving.  In our extended family,outlawing gift card giving caused a near revolt-so the rule was rescinded.

Selling your gift card

However, there is a website for everything it seems.  Plastic Jungle is a website that broker’s gift card sellers and traders with potential buyers and other traders.  The most common discount for cards seemed to be between 5 and 10 % of total value of the card for purchasing, trading being more neutral with folks wanting to trade for a card of near equal value.

So Millionaire Nurse wannabe’s who know they have to purchase something at Wal-Mart and the item is on sale for 30 % off, and they can buy a Wal Mart gift card for another 10% off, then that is real money saved.

So, take a few minutes and search all the potential hiding places at home, car and work for an unused gift card.  Redeem them either at the store on the card, or make the effort to sell them on the Plastic Jungle.  Don’t let those cards waste away.