FRUGALFRAN, what do you mean you have trouble with Visa gift cards?

My uncle gives me Visa gift cards a lot and I always have trouble with them. I love shopping for other people and trying to pick out the perfect gift, so I don't give a lot of gift cards, but when I do, it's for a specific business.

Breakinger wrote: That's absolutely terrible, Goldbug. I would never get anyone a Visa gift card either. It just seems like a scam because they are actually taking money away from people. Don't you think there should be a way to claim the money anyway? So, what are these Amazon vouchers you are talking about? My dad orders from there a lot and this sounds like something that he would like to receive.

Amazon sell giftcards through their site, although you can get them offline from some shops. Our corner shop sells packs of three $10 cards, so I buy those and split them out. The giftcards are single use with a code on the back. When the user logs into their account they enter the code and the amount of the card is added to their account to spend on whatever they like. I think you can also get the giftcard codes through email directly from Amazon, but I've never done that.

I love gift cards. They make gift giving a lot easier than trying to choose the perfect gift. If the card is not used, it's not my fault. It was a gift and whatever the receiver does with it is his/her business. I'm sure I have lost a lot of money but I did what was right. These days I send Amazon gift cards. Online shopping is the way to go these days and everyone I know loves these cards.

Goldbug wrote: I'm not a fan of Visa giftcards because the only time I was given one, there was a problem with my address and while they were sorting it out monthly fees eroded all the funds on the card and I didn't get any of it! I don't think there is a problem with giftcards as long as they are for established businesses and you know the person you're getting them for will use them. Amazon vouchers are always popular in my family.

That's absolutely terrible, Goldbug. I would never get anyone a Visa gift card either. It just seems like a scam because they are actually taking money away from people. Don't you think there should be a way to claim the money anyway? So, what are these Amazon vouchers you are talking about? My dad orders from there a lot and this sounds like something that he would like to receive.

Some gift cards have no expiration date and they can be used at various locations. Like if one corporation owns 10 different grocery/pharmacy/general merchandise stores, the card can be used at any of them. They also let you add money to it whenever you want, making it a good way to save for Christmas.

Breakinger wrote: I agree, Patse. One year for Christmas my sister got me a Visa gift card and there were so many fees attached to it along with a limit on how long I had to use it. I didn't know that it eventually expired and lost out on the money anyways.

I'm not a fan of Visa giftcards because the only time I was given one, there was a problem with my address and while they were sorting it out monthly fees eroded all the funds on the card and I didn't get any of it! I don't think there is a problem with giftcards as long as they are for established businesses and you know the person you're getting them for will use them. Amazon vouchers are always popular in my family.

I agree, Patse. One year for Christmas my sister got me a Visa gift card and there were so many fees attached to it along with a limit on how long I had to use it. I didn't know that it eventually expired and lost out on the money anyways.

I think buying generic gift cards is the way to go. So many stores go out of business. The only problem with Visa or Mastercard is that there is always a fee for the person buying the gift card.

Visa and Mastercard debit gift cards are the way to go. That's the only gift I give. They can be use anywhere Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Here's the site I buy all of my gift cards from, they're great!

www.giftcards.com

that is really very sad.I dont think that gift cards are a good option.What is the use of using it if it is not secure and reliable.

I think of gift cards as being pretty much like cash, and they encourage us to think that but some people are losing their money when the stores have problems. I have a friend who had received some Sharper Image gift cards for her birthday and was kind of saving them -- well the store is now out of business and that money is gone.