January 6, 2012 |
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Love giving gift cards but find them too impersonal? Then perhaps you’ll find customized gift cards more worthy.
For the fifth-year running, gift cards were the most-requested present of the holiday season, comprising 18 percent of total holiday spending this year. In fact, the National Retail Federation said 80 percent of shoppers planned on buying gift cards, for a grand figure of $27.8 billion in just a few short months.
Finally cottoning on to this trend, e-retailers moved links for gift cards front and center on their homepages. Every merchant newsletter of the season trumpeted what great presents they made.
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January 3, 2012 |
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Teacher discounts don't often receive the same hype and attention as those for students. But be confident, oft-neglected educators of the world -- businesses haven't forgotten you.
Along with classroom supplies and other learned goodies like books, numerous teacher discounts are offered nationwide, running the gamut from laptops and Photoshop to museum entry and wedding favors. Yes, wedding favors.
While eligibility changes based on where you purchase, most offers are redeemable by kindergarten teachers and college professors alike. Also remember seasonal promos, particularly back-to-school sales and Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. Merchants without regular promotions often roll out limited-time offers.
To add much-needed oomph to your spending, Gift Card Granny compiled a top-notch list of the 66 most lucrative year-round discounts for teachers. Keep in mind, however, that policies vary greatly by location. Some give a different percentage off, others shift education discounts over time, still others simply don't honor deals. Call ahead before making a purchase to avoid frustration.
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December 14, 2011 |
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Just in the Nick of time, retailers and restaurants are trying to pull in extra business by offering free gift cards, swag bucks or whatever you want to call them. Buy a certain amount in gift cards or merchandise and you’ll get a gift card for your own use. Now that’s what I call an incentive!
Of course, free doesn’t always mean entirely free and standard federal laws don’t apply to these bonus cards. For example, some are non-transferable, must be used between specific dates, or can’t be resold. Others require you register to receive e-newsletters, so check the rules before you buy.
1. AllPosters.com - $5 card for every $50 gift certificate you purchase.
2. Benihana - $10 promotional card with every $50 purchased in gift cards through Dec. 31. Redeemable Jan. 2 through March 31, 2012.
3. Best Buy - $10 gift card with online purchase of two select, sale-priced video games for Xbox 360 or PS3 consoles.
4. Dressbarn - $10 savings card for every $50 you spend on gift cards. Usable Dec. 26 through Jan. 31, 2012.
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December 9, 2011 |
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For the fifth year running, the National Retail Federations says gift cards are the most desired gift for the holidays. In fact, eight out of 10 shoppers plan on buying gift cards, whether for personal use or as presents. They’ll likely spend $155 each on gift cards, for a national total of $27.8 billion.
No doubt a few people you know have added these plastic presents to their gift list. They’re easy to buy online and easy to give. As an added bonus, many merchants ship them for free with no minimum purchase required.
Here are 55 merchants who offer this deal for the holidays. Most are delivered free via standard shipping to the 48 contiguous United States.
Aeropostale
Amazon
American Eagle
Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor Loft
Banana Republic
Bath & Body Works
Bebe
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December 1, 2011 |
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Gift cards have ruled the holidays for several years now, but public desire for these little plastic presents has recently expanded to encompass the entire year.
GiftCardGranny.com recently compiled data from over 70,000 gift card alerts by over 4,000 people with semi-surprising results. The survey found there was only a six-card difference between the top two merchants, Walmart and Target. Other favorites included Amazon, Walgreens and Shell.
Even more surprising, four fuel and six restaurant companies landed in the top 30, indicating consumers have learned gift cards are good for more than just sweaters and groceries.
Naturally, we all have our favorite merchants and services and, hopefully, will receive one or two cards for them this holiday season. However, if you receive a gift card that wasn’t in your top 10 list, you can trade it for cash on Gift Card Exchange Day. This annual, one-day event on Dec. 26 allows recipients to sell unwanted gift cards at the time of year when resellers are paying the highest rates for second-hand cards.
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November 29, 2011 |
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Gift Card Granny has blasted into cyberspace with a free application designed just for Android fans. The first discount gift card app available from the Android Market lets you buy, sell and use gift cards directly via your phone from hundreds of popular merchants.
Imagine this: You’re cruising the aisles of your favorite store and see a sweater you can’t live without. You fire up the Gift Card Granny app and search the database for that store. Bingo! You find a mobile card offered for that merchant at 20-percent off face value. Just purchase the card right there and then and head to the register, where the cashier scans your phone or inputs the numeric code. Instantly you’ve saved 20 percent on your purchase.
This instant access is available on all mobile cards and many online cards, purchased directly from the merchant and emailed directly to your inbox. (Traditional plastic cards must still be snail mailed.)
You can customize the Gift Card Granny app to sort by store, price, discount, seller and more. Other great options include the ability to check your gift card balance and use a GPS to find a desired store near you.
While you can also instantly sell gift cards via the app, you might want to wait until Gift Card Exchange Day on Dec. 26, when vendors pay the highest premium for unused gift cards.
Gift Card Granny is now revving up her super walker to create a similar app for iPhone fans.
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October 17, 2011 |
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Remember the old days, when you would get a gift card and your only option was to use it or lose it? Well times have changed, thanks to recent government legislation and more than $60 billion in unused gift cards each year.
These days you can buy, sell and even trade gift cards online. While this sort of exchange seems like it’s pretty straight forward, there are a surprising number of technical terms involved. Whether you're new to the world of gift cards or just feeling a little lost, we've created this Gift Card Glossary to put you in-the-know about essential lingo.
ABC Gift Cards: A website where gift cards can be bought, sold or traded. Founded in 2006 with headquarters in East Windsor, N.J.
Balance Checker: A tool merchants use to let gift card holders check the card's remaining balance online. Most balance checkers require you enter the card number and security code or PIN to get balance information.
Buy Gift Cards: The process of purchasing a gift card. Gift cards can be bought directly from the merchant for their full face value, or they can be bought from a third-party at a price lower than or equal to the card's face value.
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October 17, 2011 |
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Gift cards make fabulous gifts -- in fact they’re the most frequently requested gift during the holiday season -- but an estimated $60 billion worth of those cards go unredeemed each year.
That’s where Gift Card Exchange Day comes into play. Scheduled for Dec. 26, the one-day event is a specific day to do just that -- exchange gift cards for money. It also serves as an annual reminder for cardholders that there’s cash in them there cards.
Here’s how it works: Let’s say Auntie Em gives you a gift card to Sports Authority for Christmas, but you’re not really the athletic type. Instead of thanking her with a smile and losing the card, you visit GiftCardExchangeDay.com on Dec. 26 and sell it for cash.
To do so, you enter the merchant name and face value of the gift card, click “Get Offers,” and instantly receive bids from companies interested in buying your card.
Once you have the cash in hand, you can use it for what you really want...tickets to the ballet.
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August 22, 2011 |
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Ah, the privileges of being a student. Things like sleeping until noon, days off in the middle of the week, and hanging with friends every day aren't missed until they're gone. It's a mix of stressful studying and partying pleasure that ends up as an experience to remember for the rest of your life.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 19-million students enrolled in
higher education institutions across the country. Whether you're gearing up for your first day on campus or are counting the days until graduation, make sure to take advantage of your status as a student while it lasts.
For a minute, ignore the frustration of nickel-and-dime fees. Instead, reach into your wallet and pull out your student ID (which you probably had to pay a fee for, too, in addition to everything else). Embrace it like it's a long-lost friend. This little piece of plastic is your most useful ally for saving money until you walk on stage and snatch your diploma. Consider it a different form of financial aid.
To help you make the most of your student status, we've put together the ultimate list of student discounts. While most of these are geared toward college students, young scholars of any age should go ahead and give them a shot. A few even apply to grade school students, so give it a try if you're interested.
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August 14, 2011 |
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Selling your unused, or partially used, gift cards on GiftCardGranny.com is a great way to bring in some extra cash while helping someone save on the items they need. We work with several gift card resellers who will buy your card and sell it at a mark-up (but still below the remaining value on the card) to someone else. Visit our Sell page to see what each reseller is offering for your card at the moment. You can also sell the card yourself, and perhaps keep a larger portion of the proceeds, by listing it on eBay. Gift Card Granny will usually find your eBay listing automatically and list your card for sale on www.GiftCardGranny.com.
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