There's something I've been wondering about and maybe you can chime in and let me know what you think.
If you have a gift card somewhere do you still use a coupon/wait for it to go on sale or do you just figure, "Eh, it's free to me anyway," and go for it?
Ok now, discuss.
19 comments:
I am a confessed penny pincher so I tend to look at money as just that ... money! When given a gift card I use it as supplemental to what ever I'd be getting anyway and shop the same as if it were my own hard earned cash! Why go for 1-2 items with your gift card when you can get MORE! :)
I usually still wait for a sale and/or use a coupon. I just can't turn off the frugal part of me, whether I'm paying with cash or a gift card! I will say, though, that I'm more likely to splurge on non-necessities when paying with a gift card. (I just try to be smart about it!)
I still like to buy items on sale and use coupons with the gift card. That's what I did last Monday at a Grand Opening of a local store,I used my $25 gift card (and $3.00) to buy $55.00 worth of groceries :) I figure I need to get as much free as possible.
I agree with the above- I also hate to HAVE to spend my own money with the gift card, so I try to use all of it up without going over much.
I agree with all of the previous comments! I try to get a bargain and then brag to the giver about all that I got with their gift card. They get to be just as proud!
If I can still get a good bargain, great. But if not, I do like to think of it as splurging money and go ahead in indulge. I do do it thoughtfully, though.
I always want to just splurge but the penny pincher inside of me usually wins and makes me debate every penny I am spending!
If they don't have an expiration date, I save them to purchase gifts or give as gifts. Inevitably there is an occasion that I've forgotten to purchase a gift for. VOILA. It's done.
I always wait for a sale and/or coupon. I'm also really guilty of not even splurging on myself. For instance, if I get a $50 gift card to Walmart/Target - I usually use it to buy household items - aluminum foil, saran wrap, etc. The last thing I need is more crap junking up my house! ;)
I do what ever I can to spend the least money. I watch for sales, search for coupons, and alway try to get the best price.
I always wait for a special coupon or sale. Recently got a card from a friend for Cost Plus World Market and I made two separate purchases on the card with two different coupons and brought home tons of fun food item. I still have money left to use next time!! Make it stretch.
I would love to just use the money (on the gift card) and enjoy it. Alas, I am too frugal and love a deal, so I use coupons or wait for a deal.
I usually use gift cards to purchase something that I might otherwise do without. I may wait for the item to go on sale, but not always. It's the one time I treat myself, or my family, and don't feel like I'm breaking the bank! If there is nothing I absolutely HAVE to have, I stash the gift card away to give to others!
I wait for coupons and/or sales. In fact, I have a Bath and Body Works gift card that I've been hanging onto since December because I haven't seen the "perfect" sale yet!!
I come from a country where coupons aren't as big a deal as in the U.S. so I'm a little baffled by the variety of coupons and whatnot in my soon-to-be home country (last paperwork being processed at my local U.S. embassy, the wait takes time... but it's worth it, my fiancé's patiently waiting to get me home for good.)
On the other hand, we have plenty of in-store loyal customer programmes in my corner of Europe, that yield surprising savings on occasion (I got my sewing machine for €99 by flashing my loyal customer card, when the normal price is €229!). Most of these loyal customer programmes also yield coupons of "€10/20 off any purchase over €50/100 excluding alcohol and tobacco products" or some such, that arrive in the mail, usually in February, when you're still tightening your belt after the holiday season.
The other loyal customer programme I use amasses bonus points, that are returned to my bank account per my choice, but could also have been taken out as discount coupons that apply anywhere in the chain's stores (about 40% of the grocery stores in the country, so not bad, especially since I used to live on a student budget that left me about €50 - with luck - after all necessary expenses for food and groceries per month).
As comes to gift cards, they're my #1 gift option, as an absent sibling/auntie to teenage relatives, since they can be used at any of the chain's stores, but exclude alcohol and tobacco, that some young ones may be compelled to buy (the drinking age here is 18, in some neighbouring countries it's 16 or even 15 for milder alcoholic beverages, and the French start letting their children taste a drop of wine in a glass of water at toddler age... I drink wine the "French" way, only with dinner, and not regularly, so the drinking habits and policies among families of some Americans baffle me... but more about that some other time).
When a child's younger, since plenty of women I know are single parents, I give their child's "gift" when they're too small to miss it, as some money that the mom can use for things like new shoes and a new coat for the growing little one, and when they grow up, I tend to give a gift card to a store with enough variety to be able to find the "something" they want. :)
I won a $25 gift card to a cookware store in a blog giveaway contest recently, and already know what I want to spend it on, and already planned to use it when things are on sale, to stretch the pennies... So I guess I wait for sales, even though I may not have the coupons to stretch it further...
Definitely wait for a sale and use coupons!
I usually save it for emergencies (like when hubby is laid off, or we are out of milk and need it now), but I don't think I'd be comfortable wasing it. It reminds me of when my family bought me a gift card for Bootleger (it's a jean outlet), just looking at their prices gave me heart palputations. I suggested that next time, just send me a gift card for groceries or for Value Village (a second hand store).
I usually save them for emergency, like when hubby is laid off from work, or we've run out of money and need milk. I don't buy things unless we need them, and they're great to have during those unknown times.
I have to say though, my family bought me a gift card for Bootlegger (jean outlet store), and I had heart palputations at the prices! I told them that I appreciate the thought, but I'd be happier with gift cards to grocery stores, or to Value Village(a second hand store). My mom wants me to get new things, and to pamper myself with things I wouldn't usually buy myself, but I just can't get myself to part with the money.
I always use it like any other grocery money. I watch every penny. After cashing out using the last one I had, the clerk asked me if i wanted her to throw it away as it 'only' had 35cents left on it. If she saw 35 cents on the floor would she just walk away or pick it up? 35 cents is 35cents no matter if on a card or coin. I think of watching our budget like a game and I have fun with it but am also out to win! :) Your blog helps me do that and I am grateful! :) :) Sarah
Post a Comment