Gift cards

Giftcards are a lovely invention. For givers, they are a handy way to give a gift a little more thoughtful than cash. For the receivers, it helps guarantee them a gift they will actually like. The holiday season is upon us, and many Rose students will have dealings with giftcards, either to give or to get. No matter if the card is coming or going, there are a couple of things you must look out for.

The first is an expiration date. Although it is no longer the case, Borders gift cards used to have an expiration date. I’ve lost quite a bit of potential money, by getting a card, losing it, and finding it after it expired. Even if the card does not expire, some start to get charged a monthly fee if they go unused for a certain amount of time, so check to make sure there’s no “dormancy fees” attached to your card.

The second is extra fees in general. These are especially prevalent in non-store specific cards. A few examples are noted by MSNBC’s Bob Sullivan: “The [Visa] iCARD comes laden with a $25 maintenance fee after six months. After that, it can cost $25 to get the balance refunded by check. Refunds cost $75 after two years. The Good2Go card costs $9.95 to purchase and $4.95 each month for maintenance.” Some bank giftcards also charge fees to look up the balance.

In the end, as long as you are vigilant, your giftcard experience this holiday should not be an unpleasant one.