Adam@Home by Rob Harrell for January 09, 2010

Must be Walmart. I’d return their gift cards too.

My grandson, Ben, got me a gift card to a video game store for my birthday last year. I laughed when he got he for me. We went shopping together and he recommended a good game. I loaned it to him that day and have never seen it since.

I got my wife a gift certificate to Cabella’s Sports Shop and one to Hooters. The last I saw of her she was wearing a flannel shirt talking to a top heavy waitress. Time to buy a new couch or lawyer.

I used to get Barnes & Noble gift cards for my friends at Christmas until someone told me she still had my cards from two years earlier.

Wasn’t uncle Burl Penny, was it?

I’d rather give or get cash (or a check) than a gift card. The only exception would be if I was afraid the recipient would blow the money on something not good for them. Gift cards can have fees if they aren’t used in a certain amount of time, and it is a problem if the store goes out of business, or the local one closes. Our family does a lot of shopping on-line, because we can compare prices & features easily. If we’re given a gift card, we can’t shop around for the best deal, or even get exactly what we want, if that store doesn’t carry the model we prefer. The only gift cards/certificates I’d even consider are the ones for restaurants, IF you have an idea what sort of food that person likes.

@ Rmom,

I agree, for the most part I prefer cash or a check myself.

I did give my sister a gift card from the local grocery store for Christmas though. It was partly a gag gift (I had a funny home made card that went with it and the sentiment on that made a gift card part of the deal) and partly because I know that she shops there.

The trick with gift cards is to get a card for a store you know they like. I got a Wal-Mart gift card a few years ago and appreciated it. I got some nice lawn furniture, etc.

I’m sorry sir, we only issue gift cards for returns.

I heard of some stores that knew they were going out of business selling gift cards knowing the recipients wouldn’t be able to use them. That’s dirty pool in a big way!

As for Barnes and Noble, when I lived in the states I loved going there. The Canadian equivalent is called Chapters and it’s a great store. I’d adore a gift card from there, the larger the amount the better.