Friends don’t let friends gift card

So I want to call for a shopping revolution.  Let’s not purchase gift cards this year.  We can send a message to the retailers that gift cards should not expire and we should get the cash value when there is less than$5 left on the card, heck I would be willing to get the cash value for under $1.

It is so frustrating to get a gift card and use most of it, leaving $0.24 on the card.  I will keep the card, I don’t want the retail store to keep that money, but I usually forget to use my card on subsequent shopping trips.  I have a bunch of cards in my wallet and glove box that have less than $2 on them, but I can’t get rid of them, at least not until they expire and that is another can of worms.  Why do gift cards expire?  Cash doesn’t expire and gift cards are like monopoly money, store specific monopoly money.  I have lost way too much money in expired gift cards.  I don’t give gift cards, they are impersonal and difficult to wrap.  I don’t like to receive gift cards either, cause unless the card is to one of the stores I go to every week, I won’t make a special trip to the store.

Legislation was passed to “protect consumers” but it is not enough, cards can still expire after 5 years.  Yes, 5 years is a long time but if I find a $5 dollar bill in a pocket 5 years from now, it didn’t expire, and neither should gift cards.  And please don’t get me started on fees, gift cards are supposed to be easy and convenient, I don’t think so.

So instead of giving gift cards this year think about an actual gift for your friends and family and include a gift receipt.  At least if your friend doesn’t bother returning the item, not that I know anyone guilty of that, the retailer doesn’t get the money.