Want an instant discount? Buy other people’s gift cards.
20 September 2006I came across a site called CardAvenue, which is a sort of E-bay for old gift cards that people don’t want. This is a great idea both for people who get gift cards they don’t want and for people looking for a discount at stores they already shop at anyway. Basically, people who get the gift card version of fruitcake - a $25 gift certificate or card for Chili’s when they hate the food there - will sell it online at a discount. So if you’re a person who does eat at Chili’s, you’re getting an instant discount - you’re buying money at less than $1.
I looked through the cards and found several for places I regularly shop at - a Borders $100 card for $87 (the same as 13% off), a Best Buy card with $325.86 on it going for $260, and an Amazon card for $200 going for $189. Some discounts are bigger than others - but if you shop there all the time anyway, why give up an easy discount? It’s wasting money.
From the opposite perspective, it keeps you from wasting money at a place you don’t like when you get it as a gift. Don’t blow the money eating someplace you hate just to avoid wasting it - sell the card, let someone else enjoy it, and use your money where you want to.
You should also be aware that E-bay has quite a few of these cards available there as well - it might be worth your while to have a set amount you’re willing to pay for them and bid on anything below that amount.
One warning, though: watch out for shipping charges. Some people stick those on the auctions, which can eat up your discount.
Discuss this on the Free the Drones Forums.
One Response to “Want an instant discount? Buy other people’s gift cards.”
October 2nd, 2006 at 4:41 pm
Plastic Jungle (www.plasticjungle.com) — was also created to give gift card holders an place to sell unused gift cards directly for cash, trade them for cards from somewhere else, or even donate them to charity.