by Rebecca P.
Member since:
June 21, 2008

Goodbye Old Giftcard

January 19, 2013 06:37 PM UTC
views: 0 | 7 people recommend this | comments: 41

 

 

I’ve always been someone whose been careful with money. I started saving for college from an early age, shopped for deals and made personal spending rules. As an adult, I keep the same priniciples and my wallet is often full of giftcards to different places. Today, I emptied my two oldest giftcards-$30 to Gamestop.

 

4 Years ago one of my friends gave me a $20 giftcard to Gamestop for Christmas. For my birthday she gave me a $10 giftcard. I always held onto them wanting to save them for a game I really wanted and (would be) broke and not able to pay the $30 for a new game. It’s been 4 years and today I finally used it. Last weekend I played Pokemon Guardian Sign for the DS and loved it. Thus my interest in playing a new Pokemon game was renewed. I wanted to get another game (Mystery Dungeon), but gamestop no longer sells many used DS titles with the release of the 3DS. So, Pokemon White 2 it was!

I haven’t been to a gamestop in about a year, so seeing the new WiiU and other games was surreal. I grew up in the time of the Super Nintendo and to see how far Mario has come is crazy. I felt old being there. As I was paying for my game via giftcards, the cashier commented on how old they were. One featured the Golden Compass (so you KNOW its old) and since they’re forever good, I got my almost free game J


What's the longest you've ever held onto a giftcard for?

Comments: 41

mary v. Jan 19, 2013, 6:41pm UTC
I don't get many gift cards. I had one I held on to for quite a while though.
Karen E. Jan 19, 2013, 6:43pm UTC
Years! haha!
☃ Shannon K. Wendt Jan 19, 2013, 7:10pm UTC
Wow! I haven't played games like that in forever!

I started out on the Atari if that tells you anything...

And I once held onto a Target (I think) giftcard and the balance started to get reduced. I made sure to use it right away!
Rebecca P. Jan 19, 2013, 9:10pm UTC
I didn't know target had reductions on theirs. I knew that wal-mart did a $2.00 decrease on their money cards for every month you don't use it.
☃ Shannon K. Wendt Jan 20, 2013, 8:32am UTC
This was a while ago. They may not do that anymore.

I think that's ridiculous!
William M. Jan 19, 2013, 7:40pm UTC
You play it smart.
Nancy S. Jan 19, 2013, 7:41pm UTC
I saved my Home Depot cards for 3 or 4 years until I had enough to roof my house.
Rebecca P. Jan 19, 2013, 9:11pm UTC
That's a smart idea. I do that with my amazon giftcards
Angie W Jan 19, 2013, 7:52pm UTC
Smart saving. I tend to use my gift cards right away.
Tessa D. Jan 19, 2013, 8:13pm UTC
enjoy your game
Cheryl M. Jan 19, 2013, 8:29pm UTC
I don't get many gift cards...but saving them if u do get them is a great idea. enjoy your new game!!
Rebecca P. Jan 20, 2013, 11:54am UTC
I have two giftcards to an online store that in 5 years has had NOTHING I want. I never know what to do with the cards..
Leah Christensen Jan 19, 2013, 8:46pm UTC
IT ATE MY COMMENT!

I tend to hoard gift cards and points. I got two bloomingdales gift cards a while ago in anticipation of a trip to NYC. I also occasionally find American money (change in my wallet, or someone leaves an American bill in a tip jar, and I'll just buy the bill), and it all goes into my American wallet.

I have also been collecting points from a well known Canadian drugstore that also sells the kind of groceries we can't buy next door at the farmers market. Highest reward is $170 in stuff. I have 2x the amount needed. I'm going to use $170 next month when I go to NYC, because the trip's going to be expensive so it'll be nice that Walker and I will have free food when I get home. Next time I'm going to use $170 in points in July, when Walker and I go to Ottawa. That's going to be expensive too. More free food when we get home.
Rebecca P. Jan 20, 2013, 11:53am UTC
That's awesome! I wish I knew more places that did a point system
Leah Christensen Jan 20, 2013, 12:04pm UTC
I'm on Swagbucks, Clixsense, MyPoints, Neobux, Gather, and MyLot. Those are my guarantees.
Mooch -. Jan 20, 2013, 12:08pm UTC
I can't even gather the courage to go to MyLot anymore. And I suspect its the same old click that can violate the TOS and expect everyoen else to follow them, last time I looked, one person had THREE different names, same thumbnail, same information, same everything, so they can sign up as their own referrals and make moeny but its a sham...no one else can...... all i can say is most of em must be a bunch of hypocratic democrats.
Leah Christensen Jan 20, 2013, 12:59pm UTC
Hey! If I lived in the USA I'd be a democrat, but as it is, I'm a Canadian liberal. Yes I wear a lot of red, but in this country Liberals wear red, Conservatives were blue:) However, you got the Hopocratic part right about some MyLot members. I imagine some are Dems, some are Reps. Once someone shows their hypocratic stripes, i fail to care WHAT their political party is. A hyprocrite is a hyprocride.

Keep in mind that we are not of the same political party, yet stil friends. Not all Dems/Libs or Reps/Cons are one way or the other. You and I are perfect examples of that.
Nora D. Jan 19, 2013, 9:01pm UTC
I get several gift cards from the different rewards programs I do, as well as our bank rewards program......generally, I spend them as soon as I get them........I just got $125 in GCs from our bank rewards programs and spent them within the week.....LOL! Now, however, I'm trying to accumulate enough Amazon.com GCs to buy a set of luggage for our cruise to Alaska this summer. Also, trying to save $$$ to get a new washer and dryer....am so sick of going to the laundromat!
Rebecca P. Jan 19, 2013, 9:12pm UTC
I wish my bank did reward points. I'd probably get a lot (at least I think lol). I feel you on the lunadromat. I used the ones we had at college and it was always such a pain
Nora D. Jan 19, 2013, 9:18pm UTC
We quit Wells Fargo when they ended the points programs.........and went to a smaller, neighborhood type bank.....absolutely love it! I do really well there, as I use our debit card for almost everything......I even used it the other day to pay for our airline tickets for the Alaskan cruise.....I'm hoping to pay for the entire cruise, using the debit card....only problem there is that I have to call the bank ahead of time and ask them to "extend" my cash limit on the debit card for a particular day.....ughhhh! I did get a $100 Barnes & Noble GC and then a $25 Cracker Barrel GC so was really happy about that.....however, unfortunately, they don't offer Bed, Bath & Beyond; Amazon, or Paypal....darn! I might contact them and make some suggestions!!!!
Rebecca P. Jan 20, 2013, 11:54am UTC
You should make some suggestions. I've been thinking of switching banks, my current bank has had too many changes.
Beth J. Jan 19, 2013, 10:51pm UTC
Thanks for sharing your post on All Photos Welcome
Diane Huizenga Jan 20, 2013, 12:10am UTC
wow 4 years that's amazing
Risa G. Jan 20, 2013, 12:30am UTC
I tend to use them fairly quickly. I have the $25 GC a friend sent me for Christmas and tht is about a month now. I am using it tomorrow.
Elizabeth S. Jan 20, 2013, 5:03am UTC
I've had a couple for so many years they are probably expired. I was in a program that didn't have anything I wanted so I got a Sephora one, planning to give it to someone for Christmas. It's lost somewhere in my computer room. I've kept a CVS card for over a year many times. I get so excited about using my EB and coupons that I forget I have one.
Rebecca P. Jan 20, 2013, 11:56am UTC
I should get into CVS rewards-a lot of people seem to save money through them.
Bernard C. Jan 20, 2013, 7:47am UTC
Good game - very popular one at that too. Any giftcards I get I try to turn them in as soon as possible..I do keep an eye on the expiry date or terms therein.
Rebecca P. Jan 20, 2013, 11:55am UTC
Most giftcards don't expire, but some do (i.e. walmart) which is silly.
J F. Jan 20, 2013, 10:18am UTC
I choose giftcards as my pay out at survey sites because I don't have Paypal. They add up. I like Amazon GCs.
Rebecca P. Jan 20, 2013, 11:57am UTC
I don't have paypal either, but I prefer giftcards since it means I feel like its not coming out of my pocket.
Mooch -. Jan 20, 2013, 12:09pm UTC
Glad you got a game you liked. And used your gift card.
Betty S. Jan 20, 2013, 12:12pm UTC
I have never had a gift card..
Earl Shugerman Jan 21, 2013, 2:41pm UTC
Yea gift cards!
Amber C. Jan 22, 2013, 8:15pm UTC
Somewhere there is a gift card to a bookstore that no longer exists.
Rebecca P. Jan 24, 2013, 9:13am UTC
The fact said bookstore doesn't exist still makes me sad :(
Ryan Reid Jan 23, 2013, 1:12am UTC
i wasn't a huge fan of black and white, but i will probably get this one eventually myself. I also heard that they are working on the next generation already...they sure sped things up!
Ryan Reid Jan 23, 2013, 1:15am UTC
I still have a few gift cards from a few years back. They are for gas stations and i save them for emergencies. So heres hoping i run out of gas in front of a BP station lol
Rebecca P. Jan 23, 2013, 6:57am UTC
I rarely use a giftcard for gas. Luckily beng only 5 minutes from work I only get it every week or two. I'm excited for Pokemon X & Y, but it means buying a 3DS. Oh well, there are a lot of good games on it now.
Ryan Reid Jan 23, 2013, 11:27am UTC
I was hoping it would be a little further into the future so i could get one for Noah and we could play together, he will still be a bit young for games that require reading....but i have grand plans to play pokemon with my kid. that way i always have someone to trade with ; )
Rebecca P. Jan 24, 2013, 8:44am UTC
Lol. I'm sure someday he will be a Pokemon trainer too :)
Adelaide M. Jan 28, 2013, 8:58pm UTC
Thanks for posting to Point Taken. Have a great night!

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