Gift Cards, does anyone else do this? - Page 2

3lynns · 01-16-2007, 01:30 PM

I wanted to do this a long time ago. Dh gets paid once a month as a firefighter part-time and I was going to take that money and put like $100 for groceries, $100 for gas and $100 for extras. And the rest to savings. He quickly shot that down! I am going to have to rethink this again and mention it to him. I think it is a brilliant idea! And like someone said it helps you to maintain a certain amount spent. It also can help you save if you have any left over.

Jeweled · 01-17-2007, 07:22 PM

I've been using gift cards at my local grocery store for about two years now. My church sells them as a fund raiser. We pay face value for cards to about three different grocery stores and just about any other major chain store, and the church gets a percentage of the sale. If I'm going to be making a large purchase at Sears or JCPenney or something, sometimes I buy the gift card from church and then use it at the store. I don't save or lose any money doing this, but I like the convenience of using the cards.

littlelizard · 01-17-2007, 07:42 PM

My son's preschool also did this as a fundraiser; I think it was called Scripps?? Anyhow, each month I bought a gas card and a CVS card. The CVS I always used straight toward my monthly prescriptions, but I found that with the gas card, I like to shop around for the cheapest gas, and with the card, I didn't always do that. I like the idea of this though; it seems like a form of going "cash only."

Alana79 · 01-18-2007, 05:28 AM

This gave me an idea...Every two weeks, I am going to put $10 on my re-loadable Walmart gift card. That will be quite a help come Christmas! I am vowing NOT to touch it until Christmas !!! LOL!! Now I just have to remember to do it!!!
Alana

lovindj25 · 01-18-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaxdaisy

When I was pregnant, I would take a small portion of my paycheck and set it aside in a separate savings account. During my 8th month I took the money out and bought several gift cards to the grocery store, target, and a few restaurants. I also bought a couple of visa cards. I believe I had a total of about $300 in various gift cards. I knew I wouldn't be working for 3 months after DS was born, so they helped with the budget. I also wanted to make sure if I needed to send a friend/family member to the store, I could just hand them a gift card to pay for it.

During the holidays, a lot of restaurants and businesses were offering extra gift cards with a purchase of a gift card. There was one place we liked to eat often, so I ended up buying 4 $25 gift cards and receiving 4 $5 gift cards extra. The $5 gift cards have to be used by Mar 2007, but the others not till the end of the year, and so it will be a nice treat for us. I paid for the gift cards in cash so the money has already been spent. The place also has coupons and specials so I know we'll be able to stretch them a long ways. I also took advantage of The Children's Place special ($10 gift card with purchase of $50 gift card). I am always shopping there for DD and DS, so why not.

I included the money spent on the gift cards during the holidays into my xmas money. For us, using gift cards has helpped us out. It also challenges me to keep my spending within the amt of the card. And having paid cash for them, I don't have to worry about paying for it later.

all very good points/ideas jaxdaisy......ive heard of the "buying gift cards during the holidays" to get extra gift cards...but i like your other idea about after your baby was born!!! good points!!!

lovindj25 · 01-18-2007, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alana79

This gave me an idea...Every two weeks, I am going to put $10 on my re-loadable Walmart gift card. That will be quite a help come Christmas! I am vowing NOT to touch it until Christmas !!! LOL!! Now I just have to remember to do it!!!
Alana

good idea....so smart!!!

Missystuy · 01-19-2007, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alana79

This gave me an idea...Every two weeks, I am going to put $10 on my re-loadable Walmart gift card. That will be quite a help come Christmas! I am vowing NOT to touch it until Christmas !!! LOL!! Now I just have to remember to do it!!!
Alana

Thats basically what I'm doing, except I'm just getting new gift cards each time. I'm trying NOT to use them at all, but once in a while I might need too.

taranbabyjayden · 01-22-2007, 02:39 AM

My husband and I buy gift cards off ebay, say there is a gift card for the grocery store in our town for 100 dollars worth, we buy it for 95 dollar, normally they always have free shipping. So we are only saving 5 dollars here, but then when I go and use this gift card, I normally only spend the 100 dollars worth, but also using my discount card, and coupons, I most of the time end up saving more then 40 dollars in discounts and coupons. then the additional 5 that we saved when we bought the card. Make sense??? I am a bargain hunter, and even though we only save 5 dollars on gift card purchase, it adds up when you are grocery shopping often.