How to Get Cash For Unwanted Gift Cards
Do you have gift cards that never seem to get used? Maybe you got a card for a store that you don’t shop at or a restaurant that doesn’t appeal to your taste.
Instead of letting it go to waste, consider cashing it in or trading for something you actually want. Here are some ways to do it. 카드깡 사이트
Sell
Gift cards can be great for giving to friends or family, but they can also be the source of a lot of clutter. Many of us have gift cards for e-commerce or retail stores that we never actually use, and they can end up collecting dust in a drawer. Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of these unwanted cards and put the money back in your pocket.
One option is to exchange them for cash at a store or online. Some retailers will do this for free, while others will charge a fee. The fee may be a percentage of the value, or it might be flat. There are also services that will buy your unwanted gift cards for a certain percentage of their value, such as CardCash, which pays out in check, ACH or PayPal, typically within one to two business days.
Other options include selling them for a discount to someone else. Some sites, like CardCash and Raise, will buy your gift cards for up to 92% of their value in cash. However, the amount that you’ll receive is less than if you had simply redeemed the card at the original retailer, as inflation will have eaten away at the value of the card over time.
Another option is to donate the unused gift cards to charity. Many local charities, such as food pantries and animal shelters, will accept the cards for their basket raffles or giveaways. The non-profit CharityChoice lets you turn a variety of merchant gift cards into a charitable donation to hundreds of charities, though it takes 10% of the proceeds for marketing and administrative costs.
Still, it’s a better option than just leaving the gift card in your drawer, which is bad for you and for the business that is losing money on a product it didn’t sell. The only good thing about a card going unused is that it stops the company from adding an inactivity fee to your account, but that’s only if you redeem it soon. If you don’t, the company will be able to shift your gift card balance into “breakage income,” which it nets at 100 percent profit from.
Trade
Unwanted gift cards are a common problem that can lead to clutter, but they can also be a source of extra money. If you have a card for a store or restaurant that you never shop at, you can convert it to cash with an online exchange service like CardCash. These services will offer you a percentage of the card’s value in cash or another type of gift card, such as one to Amazon.
You can also use sites such as eBay to sell your unused gift cards, but be aware that you may not get as much for them. These online platforms are designed to maximize the value of unused gift cards by connecting buyers and sellers through a secure, fast, and easy-to-use platform. They typically allow you to set the price of your cards based on their popularity and condition, and will notify you when a buyer makes an offer that matches your price.
In addition to reselling your unwanted gift cards, you can donate them or give them away, says Hunter. While this may not be what the original gift giver had in mind, it’s better than letting the gift cards go to waste. In fact, many nonprofit organizations are looking for these types of donations, especially those to help people in need or those struggling financially.
If you have a lot of gift cards for stores or restaurants that don’t appeal to you, consider bartering them with friends. This can be a great way to turn those cards into something you actually want or need, and it might not be as hard as you think to find something that your friends would be interested in.
If you don’t feel comfortable bartering, you can always try trading your gift cards to a friend or family member who has the type of gift card you want. Then, you can split the amount and both of you will be happy. The only downside to this is that you’ll have to pay the credit card transaction fees, but it may still be a better option than leaving the gift card sitting in a drawer or on a shelf until it expires.
Donate
Sometimes, you receive gift cards that just don’t hit the mark. For example, well-intentioned loved ones might give you a gift card for Home Depot when you don’t have any home projects coming up, or for iTunes when you already have an account and listen to music through other means. These unused gift cards can end up rotting in your drawer or wallet, or they could expire. But letting them go to waste isn’t a good option for either you or the retailer.
Instead, put your gift cards to good use by donating them. Nonprofits like Goodwill and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital accept gift card donations, but you can also find local groups that do as well. For instance, if you have a gift card for a pet supply store but don’t have any pets, call area animal shelters to see if they accept them as a donation. They may need the money for things like food, litter or supplies to care for the animals they shelter.
In many cases, you can donate your unused gift cards to a charity of your choice online through sites like Raise and CardCash. These sites will convert the merchant gift card balance into a cash donation to the organization of your choice, with the full or remaining unused amount going toward the charitable cause. These sites are a convenient way to donate your unwanted gift cards, and they typically promise to process your gift card payout quickly, but it could take another day or two to receive the funds via PayPal or a bank transfer.
You can also turn unused gift cards into cash by visiting sites that specifically buy them from you, such as GiftCards4Change or CharityChoice. These sites will sell your unused gift cards at their current market value and give all the proceeds to the nonprofit of your choice, with some taking 10% for marketing and administrative costs. You can even find nonprofits that will accept gift cards in person, which is a great way to support your community while you avoid putting those unused gift cards to waste.
Barter
If you’re a frequent gift-card recipient, chances are that you’ll end up with a few cards that don’t hit the mark. Whether it’s a card to a store, restaurant or site that isn’t really your style or one that has a smaller than desirable balance, there are a number of ways to avoid letting those cards languish in the bottom of your drawer (or worse).
Sell them for cash
There are many online exchanges that allow you to sell your unwanted gift cards. These sites often offer multiple payment options, from a check or PayPal transaction to another gift card that might be more useful for you. In some cases, you can even get a percentage of the full value of the card back, which is more than you’ll typically receive from an in-person retailer.
The value of a gift card decreases over time, as inflation devalues it. In addition, some retailers add fees or expiration dates to dormant gift cards. That’s why you should take a closer look at your stack of unwanted gift cards to see if any are worth putting to work.
Trade them for something you’ll use
Many retailers will let you redeem unused gift cards for cash, especially if the amount on the card is less than $10 or $5. However, the exact rules vary by store and state, so it’s best to check with each store before trying to exchange your gift cards for money.
You can also try to find a local business that accepts gift cards in return for cash, such as a local coffee shop or a restaurant. You may also be able to donate unwanted gift cards to a charity, such as CardCash’s CharityChoice program, which allows you to turn a merchant gift card into a donation to more than 1,000 charities.
You’re probably sitting on some of the $21 billion in unused gift cards, so don’t let them go to waste. Instead, put them to good use by taking advantage of some of these strategies. After all, that’s what the gift giver intended.