National Use Your Gift Card Day is a great time to save money! If you’re like over half of Americans, you received a gift card for the holidays. In fact, according to a consumer sentiment survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, gift cards consistently rank as the second-most given gift.Got gift cards? Get going! Money-Saving Expert Andrea Woroch weighs in with some simple tips to get ready for the best day of the year to use your gift card: National Use Your Gift Card Day on January 16th, 2021. As a nationally recognized consumer and money-saving expert, writer, and speaker, Andrea spends her day researching and sharing simply ways to get more while spending less. Here are her top five tips to get the most out of National Use Your Gift Card Day:
1. Check your balance.
Not all gift cards have the balance printed on the card but you can check it online using sites like GetMyBalance.com this way you know exactly how much you can spend. You don’t want to fall into the trap of trying to swipe your gift card at checkout for an amount you truly can’t afford! This is also helpful for any gift cards which you used just partial balance. Once you know the balance left, you can make a better shopping plan.
2. Think ahead to Upcoming Celebrations or Shopping Needs.
Don’t use your gift card just to use it. Think about potential purchases you may need down the road whether it’s a gift for an upcoming celebration or an item you or your children may need for spring or summer. This way, you use your gift card dollars wisely!
3. Maximize savings.
You can get more bang for your gift card buck by shopping wisely. Look for those end of season sales on winter merchandise or pick up a few holiday decorations for next year that will deeply discounted right now. Head straight to the sales racks or clearance section to see how you can get more for less. Always look for a coupon to stretch your balance via sites like CouponFollow.com.Check for store deals at UseYourGiftCard.com. You can even earn cash back when using your gift card by scanning pictures of your shopping receipts to Fetch Rewards you will earn points good toward free gift cards to stores like Amazon, Target and Walmart.
4. Exchange unwanted cards.
Not everyone gets it right when they give a gift card, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it go to waste. This is a good time to search sites like Raise, Cardpool or ABC Gift Cards to see if there are any exchange options that better suit your shopping needs! Otherwise, you can sell them for cash which can come in pretty handy after the heavy holiday spending season.
5. Do something good.
You can even donate your gift cards! Charities like Goodwill and Salvation Army also accept unused gift cards.
And don’t forget to keep checking www.UseYourGiftCard.com for daily-updated deals, tips and more!
Andrea Woroch
Money-Saving Expert
Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized money-saving expert, writer and TV personality, passionate about helping consumers find simple ways to spend less and save more without sacrificing their lifestyles. As a sought after media source and regularly-featured news contributor, Andrea has been featured on popular shows such as Today, Good Morning America, FOX & Friends and KTLA Morning News. In print and online, her articles and thoughtful tips have been published among leading outlets such as Forbes, Money Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Cosmopolitan, Yahoo! Finance, CNN.com, AOL Daily Finance and more. When not helping people save money, Andrea enjoys skiing, hiking, traveling and spending time with her family. She happily resides in Bakersfield, CA with her husband, eight-month old daughter and rambunctious Goldendoodle. You can read more about Andrea at www.andreaworoch.com or follow her on Twitter (@AndreaWoroch) for daily savings tips.