How many gave GC this year?

[janelle]

I did. Seems like that is what was ask for. Even with the article about them being a big rip-off I think many were given at the last minute gift idea.

Now I wonder how many will be used.

[socks1211]

didnt give or get any besides for redners and weis and subway and they are all used up

[BigLyd1]

Bought one for the fire victims. That's what our church was doing for Christmas for adopting families.

I don't know about other places but supposedly CA passed a law as of the Jan. 1st that stores have to give change/cash back on GC's when the total is less than $10. Maybe less chance of getting ripped off by them.

[csbking4]

I didn't give any but I did receive one from my sister to Old Navy...

I can see the part where you're getting ripped off...if you had money left over but it was like $2...what are you going to buy at Old Navy for $2? LOL Wish Virginia would do that too!

[nightrider127]

We gave a few, not many. A couple of Walmarts GC, a LaRosa GC (local pizza place) and a couple for Dave and Busters.

[diana_circe]

We didn't give our get any, but we only bought for our kids this year and supplied Christmas dinner for our families.

I did get one for my oldest daughter's rfiend for her birthday, but I felt cheesy doing that.

[BeanieLuvR]

I gave restaurant GCs to my family and got some from family. We already used the Red Lobster GCs but still have an Olive Garden. I naver let any part of a GC go to waste but we eat out a lot.

[Juli67]

I gave some and received some.

[magickay]

I gave some to nieces and nephews (all were from various reward programs). Got one from work - Visa giftcard, so I'll be able to use it anywhere :)

[kyswpgrl]

We gave dh's grandfather a rug (he needed/wanted) and a $10 GC to Sonic because we know it's his favorite fast food place. I couldn't figure out what to get my sister, so I gave her a picture frame along with a $10 GC to her fave restaurant and $10 GC to Best Buy. She in turn gave me a $25 GC to my fave restaurant, $20 GC to the movies, and a coupon for a free night of babysitting. :)

The kids wound up with 2 GCs each. $10 to Target from a great-aunt and $20 to Toys R Us from an aunt.

[LuvBigRip]

I gave some and received some.

Same here. All of them have been used already.

[YankeeMary]

I always use the total amount on GC. I gave a few and received a few. If I have a GC with a low balance I just save it until the next time I shop there and use it then.

[janelle]

I think people say they want a GC since they do not want to say---give me money. LOL

I gave two to Barnes & Noble since two asked for that.

The worse is to get one for a store the person never shops at and the store won't give change. My mother had one like that years ago and she had to buy another dress she didn't want because they wouldn't give change.

Now for a restaurant or even Barnes & Noble you can always go back to use up the rest. Get a dessert or a calendar, something little.

[Beso]

I didn't get any, nor did I give any.

I make my step-sisters suffer.(Stand if line if they don't like what I bought. They only talk to me to get presents)

[Eyore]

I bought gift cards for my nieces and nephews in IN. I have no idea what they like or anything. The girls asked for gift cards or cash and the boys could care less.

[freebielover]

I refuse to buy them personally. If they want cash, they get cash, then it can go into savings or be used anywhere. I'd personally prefer cash if you don't know what to get me.

[friend6040]

I gave out 10 gift cards of 40.00 each to nieces and nephews theres 9 of them toys r us will love me or their parents will anyways

lol hehehehe

[PrincessArky]

I gave some to some of the kids in my family that actually asked for them but I didnt get any..........I do know that my Old Navy thats in Texas gave me me change when I used one and had a bit left over and so did the Kohls :)

[Willow]

Kevin got a Dunkin Donuts gift certificate from his mom.

[sheila_361]

I got my son and his wife each a $75.00 gift card from Target. My sister-in-law gave me a $28.00 gift card to Great Clips.

[MistyWolf]

I asked for 2 GC's because there are a few things I want but would rather pick out myself. I just have to get to the store now .. lol.

I gave my dad a GC to Outback. He likes to go out to eat and is hard to shop for since he wants "nothing" so it works.

[sandooch]

Bought one for the fire victims. That's what our church was doing for Christmas for adopting families.

I don't know about other places but supposedly CA passed a law as of the Jan. 1st that stores have to give change/cash back on GC's when the total is less than $10. Maybe less chance of getting ripped off by them.

Could I ask where you read about this new law in CA? My girls received several GC for Christmas, and I've taken them to all sorts of different stores since then, but none of the stores gave back change when the change back was less than $10. I hope my kids didn't get ripped off on this new law. :getyou

I also gave and received GC this Christmas and noticed that there were far less people shopping in stores this year because of it. I really think that people find it easier to buy these for their family and friends and it's true.

Although, I think next year I'll get Visa or Mastercard GCs, just because they can be used anywhere, and I don't have to figure out which store each individual likes to shop at most.

[erinma]

I didn't give or get.

[janelle]

Could I ask where you read about this new law in CA? My girls received several GC for Christmas, and I've taken them to all sorts of different stores since then, but none of the stores gave back change when the change back was less than $10. I hope my kids didn't get ripped off on this new law. :getyou

I also gave and received GC this Christmas and noticed that there were far less people shopping in stores this year because of it. I really think that people find it easier to buy these for their family and friends and it's true.

Although, I think next year I'll get Visa or Mastercard GCs, just because they can be used anywhere, and I don't have to figure out which store each individual likes to shop at most.

But the CC GC will charge you a fee each month until it is used up so you need to use them right away and the whole amount.

Did your girls leave the change on the table for the store to keep since it wasn't under ten dollar? If so that is a big rip off.

If they still have some amount left on their cards maybe they can combine them to get something one girl likes to use up the extra.

[ladybugva]

I gave GC to Cracker Barrel to my grandfather b/c that is where he and grandmothe like to eat. he stil has Lowes ones from last year I think that he hasn't used.

I also gave to my BIL b/c he is saving up for something big at Bass Pro.

I got 3 to Michaels b/c I want something big there also.

[155oaks]

I gave out 10 gift cards and received about 20 in total with the kids.

it is so simple to give and get.
now though it is a competition who gives the highest values in my house, average is $50.00 on a card for the adults and $25 for kids, both there is always one with $100 or more to show off

[sandooch]

But the CC GC will charge you a fee each month until it is used up so you need to use them right away and the whole amount.

Did your girls leave the change on the table for the store to keep since it wasn't under ten dollar? If so that is a big rip off.

If they still have some amount left on their cards maybe they can combine them to get something one girl likes to use up the extra.

Don't the CC GC charge you only if you don't use the card within a year? With my kids, their cards are all used up withing the week. lol

No, my girls didn't leave change on the table. The cashier would just let them know the amount they had left on their card and gave them a receipt showing it. I'm goino have to ask next time I go to a store and the change comes out to less than $10.

Thanks for your responce.

[BigLyd1]

Could I ask where you read about this new law in CA? My girls received several GC for Christmas, and I've taken them to all sorts of different stores since then, but none of the stores gave back change when the change back was less than $10. I hope my kids didn't get ripped off on this new law. :getyou


I think this it the one:


State Senator Ellen Corbett got fed up watching all that money go to waste.
So she authored a new law that says beginning January 1, California retailers
must give you cash back if you have less than $10 left on your gift cards. A
couple dollars here and a few there, and it can really add up.

This is the latest state law to protect gift card buyers and users. Here's
some others -- retailers in California may not put expiration dates on their
gift cards, they can't legally charge service fees for use of the cards, and
they can't deduct value from gift cards just because you haven't used it, unless it's worth less than five dollars and it's been dormant for at least two years.

"Starting January 1, gift cards will be a gift to the person receiving them
and not just a gift to the retailer, and that's a good thing," says Holober.

There are many exceptions to the gift card laws. They don't cover bank cards which can have lots of fees attached. Also, they don't apply to promotional gifts or those given away for charitable purposes or for perishable foods.

LINK: FAQs and Tips on Gift Certificates and Gift Cards: Legal Guide
S-11 (from the California Department of Consumer Affairs)

[RNB16]

We didn't recieve any gift cards this year and if we ever do they usually get used right away. The only gift cards that we give to people are Olive Garden and they are only given to people that we know will use them. It amazes me how much my DH's resturant sells in gift cards every holiday season but I know there is a huge amount that will never be used.

[janelle]

Don't the CC GC charge you only if you don't use the card within a year? With my kids, their cards are all used up withing the week. lol

No, my girls didn't leave change on the table. The cashier would just let them know the amount they had left on their card and gave them a receipt showing it. I'm goino have to ask next time I go to a store and the change comes out to less than $10.

Thanks for your responce.

I got one from My Points once as a CC and didn't use it up entirely. I noticed my statement charged a fee and took the rest of the money I had on the card. I could have kicked myself. It was just money laying in my purse and I could have spent it anywhere. The fees ate it up. Around thirteen dollars.

And then some cards expire so use them up as soon as you can.

On the other hand I got a GC once for Brookstone for doing a test drive. That store is high priced so I didn't want to buy something I didn't want because I had to add money to get the item. I kept the card for a year or so and finally saw a beautiful cranberry wreath in their catalog. It was around 70 dollars and the GC was for 50 so I bought it and had to only pay the difference of 20 dollars. It was something I wanted so the 20 was well worth it.

I like the GC that doesn't expire and doesn't charge a fee. Look for those.

[sandooch]

I think this it the one:


State Senator Ellen Corbett got fed up watching all that money go to waste.
So she authored a new law that says beginning January 1, California retailers
must give you cash back if you have less than $10 left on your gift cards. A
couple dollars here and a few there, and it can really add up.

This is the latest state law to protect gift card buyers and users. Here's
some others -- retailers in California may not put expiration dates on their
gift cards, they can't legally charge service fees for use of the cards, and
they can't deduct value from gift cards just because you haven't used it, unless it's worth less than five dollars and it's been dormant for at least two years.

"Starting January 1, gift cards will be a gift to the person receiving them
and not just a gift to the retailer, and that's a good thing," says Holober.

There are many exceptions to the gift card laws. They don't cover bank cards which can have lots of fees attached. Also, they don't apply to promotional gifts or those given away for charitable purposes or for perishable foods.

LINK: FAQs and Tips on Gift Certificates and Gift Cards: Legal Guide
S-11 (from the California Department of Consumer Affairs)

Thank you for this information. Hopefully, more states will follow suit.

[sandooch]

I got one from My Points once as a CC and didn't use it up entirely. I noticed my statement charged a fee and took the rest of the money I had on the card. I could have kicked myself. It was just money laying in my purse and I could have spent it anywhere. The fees ate it up. Around thirteen dollars.

And then some cards expire so use them up as soon as you can.

On the other hand I got a GC once for Brookstone for doing a test drive. That store is high priced so I didn't want to buy something I didn't want because I had to add money to get the item. I kept the card for a year or so and finally saw a beautiful cranberry wreath in their catalog. It was around 70 dollars and the GC was for 50 so I bought it and had to only pay the difference of 20 dollars. It was something I wanted so the 20 was well worth it.

I like the GC that doesn't expire and doesn't charge a fee. Look for those.

I'm taking it that, according to the post BigLyd1 wrote, even Visa or Mastercard GCs cannot put an expiration on a GC or cannot deduct the value of the GC. Wouldn't this be true whether the GC was from a retailer or a CC GC? I hope so.

Like I said in my post above, I hope more and more states pass this law soon so that I don't look like a fool when I mention this new California law to the next retailer who says I have $4.55 left on my GC. lol

[janelle]

I'm not sure about my state. I just know one of my GC had a fee and it took the rest of what was on my card and another one didn't expire and I was able to use the whole amount.

Not sure if Brookstone would have given me change since I spent over the amount on the card. I think retailers also want people to select something above the amount on the card so they will end up spending cash along with the card. If they have to give change back this won't happen. I hope each state passes a law like CA.