I'm curious how many people save their gift cards for the future. I know many friends who rush out and use a gift card right away, whether it's for the movies or a restaurant. If we were already planning to go to a certain restaurant and we have a gift card, I will use it right away. Otherwise, I like to save it for a rainy day or a special occasion. It makes for a great future activity!
If I'm gathering my Giftcards for a trip, they will be saved until its trip time. If I'm not going on a trip and I have a Giftcards, I'll use it whenever the family is ready to eat at that place I have a card for. Subway and McDonald cards are always handy.
I am almost always on a tight budget, so I love getting gift cards, and I use them right away. I mean, if it's for a NICE restaurant, I might wait for a nice date night to take my boyfriend. But as far as like...Subway as concerned? I'd use it that day!
I save them for a special occasion or a rainy day when I can't get to an ATM to pay for meals. Many times, I have been very grateful but a friend once taught me a lesson. She received gift cards from stores in the area. What we didn't know is that the mall from which the cards were bought were due to close in a matter of months. In their last month of business, they did not honor the cards. Turns out the mall was restructuring these stores were not renewing their leases.
I use them up right away, especially if it is a local restaurant because you never know when those places are going to go out of business - then you will never get that money back. Also they may raise their prices down the road or change ownership and their food goes downhill fast. Not only do I use them up, but I will also go over the amount slightly and pay the rest in cash. That way I know I am using up the full value of the card. If you think about it, they probably make a ton of money off of people buying these gift cards but leaving a buck or two on them and never finishing them off. For the longest time I never realized you could pay with both cash and credit card on the same check. Same goes at grocery stores too, if you have a gift card with them, just tell the cashier to charge the remaining balance on the card, then pay the rest of it with cash or another card.
Great point! We have saved gift cards for a trip so that we can spend a little less on food. For example, our last trip to Texas, we each had a $50 Starbucks card that we used at the airport on the way there and back. We were able to get a drink and sandwiches - which saved a lot!
I use it whenever I'm in the mood for it. I don't see the need in saving it for a rainy day personally because we all have to eat so I might as well eat what I want to especially since I'm going to use it eventually anyway.
I usually save mine....which means I have also long forgotten about some cards over time. I don't usually get many gift cards like that anyway, but even when I do, I don't go out that long so I sometimes don't think about them until it's too late. I have also taken to re-gifting them sometimes, too. I have gotten cards for places I never go, but if I know someone else will go there, then I re-gift it to that person instead of making myself go when I don't really want to.
I would tend to save it for special occasions, let's say during birthdays. I keep them well-organized in a gift card pouch so that I won't forgot that I have them. I really think gift cards are one of the best ways to give a gift. The person you are giving it to gets to choose what he or she really wants.
Unless the expiration date is coming up soon or I am afraid of losing the coupon, I'd save it as well. I usually wait until I'm in the right mood for any of my decisions, so it helps when I know I can keep the gift cards for some time so I don't feel I'm rushed to make a decision. Also, it helps a lot more if the gift card can be broke down into multiple uses so I don't end up forcing myself to use it all up in one go. If I'm in the right mood, then I'd use it right away, but more often than not, I'll just hold off for better timing.
