Community Chat

[shoptilyadropagain]

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@LavernLuvsShoes wrote:

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@Carmie wrote:

...  Who wants to use a gift card with $2.37 left on it?

*Raises hand* - Me! 

Guess I'm the Queen of Frugal, because I'll couple the remaining few dollars left with cash or a card, and use every dime that's left. 

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Same for me @LavernLuvsShoes !!!!

[deeva]

That's why I avoid buying gift card unless they're issued by Visa or American Express. And I buy them at my bank where they're stored in their vault. 

On the rare occasion that someone gives me a gift card, I use it immediately. 

[drizzellla]

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@Lovestheshores wrote:

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@drizzellla wrote:

I was reading about Synergy World going bankrupt. So it's gift cards are now worthless.

So I dug out my pile of gift cards.

And saw that my Visa gift cards were all expired. I should have paid attention. When I retired I was given several Visa gift cards as a bonus. I find cashing them can be a pain at times. So I just threw them in a desk drawer and forgot about them.

Please do not make my mistake. Check your gift cards.

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Expired Visa gift cards still hold their balance because the funds don't expire. Contact the issuer directly (phone number on the back) to request a replacement card for the remaining balance.

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Thanks - I will give it a try. But I never heard of the Company that issued it. But noticed the amount of the gift card. So definitely and going to pursue it.

[drizzellla]

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@Carmie wrote:

Yep, that's the reason I don't like gift cards.  MILLIONS of dollars go unused because they are lost, forgotten about or they're used, but a small amount of money is still left on them.  Who wants to use a gift card with 2.37 left on it?

I have had VISA gift cards expire, especially the ones with a larger original starting amount.  Many of those cards will start issusing  fees once you use it.  The balances will start being reduced little by little every month until nothing is left on it.  Checkout the small print.

By federal law, cards must be able to be used for up five years.

I personally had hundreds of dollars in resturant gift cards lost because in one case, the resturant burned down and others went out of business.

I never buy gift cards and ask people not to give any to me.  I hate them! They are big money makers for those who issue them.

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Yes, Yes, Yes, that happened to me. That is why I first started hating gift cards.

Again it was the gift card from my bonus at work. I tried to pay my bill at Walt Disney World. They asked the amount of the gift card. I told them and it didn't go through. They tried, the manager tried, wouldn't go through. Finally called and found out that the bank started taking out a $.75 service charge. All that wasted time for $.75.

I started throwing all the gift cards in a desk drawer after that. I was never able to use the cards at gas stations or restaurants. And had to check the amount before I tried to use the card. It never seemed easy.

[millieshops]

@FranandZoe   Gift cars are like cash in that they earn no interest, so I also use any I get ASAP.  Besides, I've seen so many businesses die in my decades of shopping life that I'm not confident they will be useful forever.

[Mom2Dogs]

We have gottten a couple of gift cards lately....very hard to use.   Seems as tho they are only allowed in certain places...it is irritating when you go to use one and it is declined, and not because of expiration but becuase that establishment does not take the card...MASTERCARD is the worst.

[VanSleepy]

If you're an Amazon shopper, you can always load your unused balance (or obviously the whole thing) onto Amazon.

[Lovestheshores]

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@VanSleepy wrote:

If you're an Amazon shopper, you can always load your unused balance (or obviously the whole thing) onto Amazon.

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I used to do that a lot with very small balances left on VISA gift cards. However, the last time I tried to load  a few very small balances to my Amazon account, there was a $5.00 minimum required. Guess their policy changed.

[VanSleepy]

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@Lovestheshores wrote:

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@VanSleepy wrote:

If you're an Amazon shopper, you can always load your unused balance (or obviously the whole thing) onto Amazon.

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I used to do that a lot with very small balances left on VISA gift cards. However, the last time I tried to load  a few very small balances to my Amazon account, there was a $5.00 minimum required. Guess their policy changed.

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As soon as I wrote that, I realized I hadn't done it in a while and  it could have changed. Thanks for the info. 

[I am still oxox]

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@Carmie wrote:

Yep, that's the reason I don't like gift cards.  MILLIONS of dollars go unused because they are lost, forgotten about or they're used, but a small amount of money is still left on them.  Who wants to use a gift card with 2.37 left on it?

I have had VISA gift cards expire, especially the ones with a larger original starting amount.  Many of those cards will start issusing  fees once you use it.  The balances will start being reduced little by little every month until nothing is left on it.  Checkout the small print.

By federal law, cards must be able to be used for up five years.

I personally had hundreds of dollars in resturant gift cards lost because in one case, the resturant burned down and others went out of business.

I never buy gift cards and ask people not to give any to me.  I hate them! They are big money makers for those who issue them.

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@Carmie  I agree with you I do like them either