Earlier this morning I received a marketing email from Lowes, reminding me that gift cards can be spent online on their year-end tool deals. I wasn’t going to mention it, but it got me thinking about a few things.
I sometimes hate gift cards, store credit too. They always nag at me, constantly reminding me that their balance must be spent before I lose or forget about them. And then under pressure, I browse and browse and buy something in a hurry.
But most of the time, I really enjoy spending tool-related gift cards. Back a few years ago when I was still building up my essential tool collection, I redeemed hundreds of dollars worth of credit card reward points for gift cards. I then used those gift cards to whittle down my wishlist of hand and power tools.
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Now, there’s not so much that I need anymore, but I still have a growing wishlist full of wants. And that’s the beauty of gift cards – they almost give you permission to buy some of the things you want but don’t necessarily need.
Right now I have a couple of hundred dollars in Amazon gift cards that were converted from accumulated credit card reward points. Will I splurge for some more Bosch L-Boxxes or Festool Systainers? A Festool woodworking router? Knipex bolt cutters that I would only use sparingly? Or maybe that $45 pepper grinder that everyone’s raving about. And then there’s the Stanley Fubar III that’s been on my wishlist for over 3-years now – it looks bad-ass but I have zero need for one.
What about you? Do you love or hate gift cards? Retail stores will try to convince you to spend your gift cards on after-Christmas and end-of-year tool sales, but I say spend them on something you want but wouldn’t feel right spending cash on.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an Amazon gift card that’s burning a hole in my pocket.
jeepnut
Love the Sears cards because I can still buy US made tools there. However, once they go under, Ill be forced to ask for other gifts instead of gift cards. I can only use so many dogbone wrenches. I guess Amazon gift cards will be a possible replacement in the future.
fred
I guess it may be a generational thing (maybe something to do with my being born in the 1940’s) – but I’m not sure why people buy these – particularly when they do it at supermarkets and other venues that tack on a service charge. Cash or a check may be crass – but it provides full value and unlimited options on where to spend it
Steve
I’m not a fan. I’ve had difficulty (because of poorly trained cashiers) redeeming them. I have a $100 Sears gift card in my wallet right now. There are half a dozen other places I’d rather spend that money. Cash spends everywhere.
Kevin
not really a fan of them, but they’re better than nothing or a really bad gift that you can’t return. I have found that if they arent from dunkin donuts, Amazon, Home depot or Walmart, then I usually end up cashing them in for a loss on plastic jungle. I had a Banana Republic, Brooks Bros and Borders card in my wallet for 5 years until I finally decided to sell them online.
What I can’t stand about them is the remaining balance to be applied to the next purchase, it’s always turns into a brain buster for the person working the register.
rob
Not a huge fans of gift cards becuase you usually end up with an odd amount at the end. The good thing about California law is they can’t add any fees and they can’t have the card begin to lose value after a certain amount of time. It’s also a law here that if the card has less than $10 left on it you can ask for your balance in cash. Personally the only gift cards I’d really like/want would either be iTunes or Amazon becuase you’ll end up spending it all over time one way or another.