Free Money: Can You Buy Discounted Gift Cards?
For 13 years running, gift cards have been the number one requested item on shoppers’ holiday wish lists.
This past year, in response to the COVID pandemic, many businesses began selling discount gift cards. It was an opportunity for them to generate income for services goods and services rendered at a later date.
It’s also an opportunity for you to support those businesses while saving money. So, how you find and buy discounted gift cards without wasting a lot of time?
There are a few strategies you can use and sites to keep an eye on. Keep reading to find out how to find local deals as well as discounts at major retailers.
Why More Stores Are Selling Gift Cards
Merchants have discovered that selling discounted gift cards is good for business. That’s because it gets people into their store. Once there, people tend to spend more than the amount of their gift card.
Gift cards also are great for advertisement. It’s an easy way for customers to introduce their friends and family to their favorite store and entice them to shop there.
Where to Buy Discounted Gift Cards
There are few different ways to go about finding discounted gift cards. These depend on the type of deal and product you are looking for.
Local Gift Cards
One easy thing to do is to keep an eye out at stores where you already shop. It’s a good way to support local businesses and save money.
Another great way to find discounts for local retailers is sites like Groupon and Living Social. They regularly advertise deals for restaurants or events where you live. They have the added bonus of keeping you up to speed on events in your area.
Major Retailers
Some sites, like Raise.com or Gift Card Granny, offer percentages off gift cards. Raise categorizes cards by the amount of discount you receive, and the range is pretty broad. You can find deals up to 30% off, but many are 1% or lower.
In addition, they offer cashback for each purchase you make. It is a way to reward dedicated shoppers on their site. These amounts also fluctuate, so you have to keep checking back for the best deals.
Another advantage of these sites is that they offer a wide range of merchants. Raise claims to feature more than 4,000 brands. From restaurants to clothing stores, sporting goods, hotels, and electronics, you can find almost any product or service.
Gift Card Granny has fewer retailers but the potential for bigger savings. Some people have saved upwards of 65 percent on a particular card. They also verify the value of each card, so you can be certain the advertised balance is legitimate.
The way these sites work is that they allow people to sell unwanted gift cards for a slightly lower value. So, one thing to keep in mind when you go to buy discounted gift cards from them is that the amounts can be unusual. If you are giving the card as a present, it may be awkward that the balance is $23.17.
Quick Deals
There are other sites, like GiftCards.com, that feature a smaller number of retailers. They are popular because they offer alerts when cards become available. Also, they often have a limited number of deals, so you have to jump on them as they become available.
Most of the sites mentioned above have smartphone apps that can help you keep up with new deals, but there are other ways to receive notifications. You can read more about strategies and other free apps for accessing discount gift cards online.
Find Discounted Gift Cards
We hope this information on how to buy discounted gift cards was helpful to you.
Casting a wide net across the different gift card discount sites is the best way to access deals that fit your shopping needs. Be sure to check out some of our other posts on lifestyle, health, business, and many other topics.
