SavvySugar

Lil Gift Guide: Fun Gift Card Holders

Nicole Abbott — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:26:42 PST

Ah, the fine art of gift-card giving! When Mama simply doesn't have the time or a clue as to what to get a special someone on her list, gift cards are our go-to gift of choice. Everyone could use one! Sure, lots of people frown upon the idea of gift-card giving, but we think it's totally acceptable - if presented in a fun and festive holder! Click through for five creative gift-card holders ideas that'll make the recipient give a lil "ho! ho! ho!".

10 No-Fuss Gift Cards to Buy Now

Brittney Stephens — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:21:05 PST

Just a heads up: the holiday shopping window is waning - and whether you let time get away from you, or the person you're shopping for is just really picky, a gift card can come in especially handy. We've paired 10 gift cards from some of our favorite retailers with a stylish item that it could buy - and it'll only take you a couple of clicks. Check them all out now.

Savvy Community: Have You Ever Purchased Discounted Gift Cards?

Savvy Community — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:38:28 PDT

Reader maude wants to know if it's safe to purchase discounted gift cards. This question was posted in the How Do You Save group:

I just read about sites where people will sell their gift cards for a discounted amount on Get Rich Slowly. This seems like a great idea but also one that can easily get out of hand where you might spend money on gift cards since they are discounted but necessarily what you need! I was thinking it might be great to have a cinema gift card for this summer's movie and maybe even try to save a little money on the CB2 daybed I have been eyeing but I am a little leery. Have you tried sites like Gift Card Granny?

To read about or spill similar savvy revelations, post in my How Do You Save group.

Source: Flickr User Wonderdawg777

Favorite Store Going Out of Business? Follow These Tips

Leta Shy — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:15:14 PST

It began with the closing of local Borders stores in cities around the country, and now the bookstore is inching closer to filing bankruptcy every day. It's never good news when you find out your favorite company is going out of business, but the silver lining can be those amazing deals you hope to score on items you've been coveting.

But before you start envisioning deep price slashing and too-good-to-be-true deals, remember that many companies love to capitalize on all that enthusiasm. Read on for some tips on dealing with shopping at a store that's going out of business.

Starbucks eGift Cards: Perfect For Your Coffee-Loving Valentine

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:00:43 PST

I'm already earning rewards on the Starbucks card I got over the holidays - free syrups here I come! - and now Starbucks is making it even easier for the masses to get hooked on caffeine with its new eGift Card program.

It's super easy to send an eGift Card to a fellow coffee-lover - just head to the eGift page, enter your name, message, dollar amount, and delivery date, and a lucky friend or family member will be on their way to earning rewards every time they head to a store. Recipients just need to print out the eGift card to use, or roll the balance over onto an existing account. Best part? The eGift cards can be used with the newly-upgraded Starbucks App, so they don't even need to pick up a physical card; they can just use their iPhone or BlackBerry device to pay!

You can send eGift cards to coffee-lovers (and Facebook friends) starting today.

Avoid Last-Minute Shopping Stress With Sample Sale eGift Cards

Brittney Stephens — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:22:29 PST

For all the Fab procrastinators who are now scrambling to snap up last-minute holiday gifts, help has arrived in the form of a eGift cards from Gilt Groupe and HauteLook. This is one gift that not only always fits, but promises same-day delivery - you can literally send your recipient's gift in an instant! Even your pickiest gal pal can find something she loves, and best of all, she'll be saving about 50-75 percent off on chic designer duds. HauteLook and Gilt are free to join with no invitation required, so sign up now and share the love.

Reader Roundup: We Lurve Gift Cards!

SavvySugar — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:00:29 PST

Although I talked about the evils of gift cards, turns out, readers think they are heaven-sent! All the commenters were in favor of giving these for Christmas because it seems more thoughtful. Admittedly, a gift of cash might be crass, but remember there are a ton of ways to dress it up and make it look cute! Here's what savvy readers had to say:

I love getting gift cards and have never had a problem. Although I can see that some hassle might be involved. The only time I don't like it is if someone happens to get me one to a place I would never shop. - amber512
Another one here who loves gift cards! Any cash I get goes to savings or bills. But gift cards are the equivalent of saying, "Here, Jen, treat yourself to something from this store that you normally don't go to because you can't justify spending the money. Have fun!" - Girl Jen
I love getting gift cards. They are really good gifts, especially to stores you'd like to shop in, but are without funds for. - HoneyBrown1976

To hear more love for gift cards, read on!

Why People Hate on Gift Cards

Emily Co — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:50:34 PST

I was amused to read an article in Slate about the evils of gift cards because I coincidentally recently talked to a friend about her gift card fiasco. I've also previously talked about the ways cash trumps gift cards and suggested some cute ways to dress up your present of cold, hard cash. So if you're thinking about giving someone special a gift card for the holidays, read some of the arguments against them before buying one.

Spend More: Most people tend to go over the limit, because sometimes the amount is not enough for what they actually want from the store or they're buying something they won't necessarily spend money on just to use up the gift card.
Dose of Guilt: If your gift card expires, you'll feel a healthy dose of guilt about wasting money and maybe blame yourself for forgetting.
Bothersome Hiccups: Be aware that you'll face bumps that you won't get with cash. My friend suffered a bunch of hiccups because the salesman accidentally rang the card up twice. She then proceeded to have to go through customer service, who said they couldn't do anything about it. This resulted in going back and forth between the store and the gift card issuer, which took up a lot of time and energy.

5 Ways to Give the Gift of Charity This Holiday

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 04:00:08 PST

Talking about Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and our holiday shopping lists may be fun and all, but the truth is, there are a lot of people out there that are left wanting or are in need of help. The spirit of the season is really about giving, so instead of buying expensive gadgets and frivolous gifts this holiday, why not consider giving the gift of charity instead? There are plenty of ways you can use your money for the greater good, and here, five charitable networks that will help you along the way. Warning: giving these gifts may bring on unexpected warm-fuzzies.

How Do You Spend Your Credit Card Points?

SavvySugar — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:00:32 PDT

Reader birdsflyinghigh wants to know how Savvy readers spend their credit card points. This question was posted in the How Do You Save group:

So I use my credit card and always pay it off each month, so I never carry a balance. I use it since it rewards me with points and while I could easily just use my bank cards, I feel at least with my credit card I get a little back. Initially I was cashing in my rewards for gift cards, one year I bought nearly all of my gifts with gifts cards from my credit card. But I also noticed with these gift cards, I would end up spending more money at the retailer. Not the best for a budget, of course! With a little more research, I realized for the same amount of points my credit card company would credit cash towards my balance. So rather than spending a little more money with those gift cards, I now have the cash rewards applied to my balance. Much better for the budget! I started to wonder how do others use their credit cards rewards?

To read about or spill similar savvy revelations, post in my How Do You Save group.