Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Best Advice I Got*

*This week, anyway
           
          “Redeem those gift-cards.”
            Eh?


            It is a known fact that the US retail industry made 6.8 billion dollars last year from gift cards that no one redeemed. In fact, they repeat this feat every year, year after year, and the number of $ is growing.
Post holidays, post birthdays, post whatever it was-

            Redeem. You were meant to. This is commanded spending. Another way to say- it’s the all right kind of spending, because it’s wrong not to.

            Go ahead; don’t leave it in the store. Don’t let those retailers sell it to someone else. That sweater, that book, that whatchamacallit- they are yours already and looking forlorn without you.

            My pep talk for self moments ago. Just wanted to pass it on.

It’s a New Year. Let us make a dent in that 6.8 billion. Let us resolve to get it down to, say, 3.4 billion. We can do this.

11 comments:

D.E. Malone said...

We have several cards left to use, but the weather has been keeping us home these last four days! If the mall wasn't 30 miles away, I might have braved the snow to break this cabin fever! Happy New Year to you, Mirka!

Vijaya said...

Thank you for that reminder :) We have a couple of B&N cards which will get used.

Anna Staniszewski said...

Haha. Yes, ma'am! Off to redeem those puppies... :-)

Anonymous said...

Ah… guilt-free shopping. Spending a gift card is the only responsible thing to do. (= And there are some great sales right now. I think I'll follow your advice and redeem those cards I still have floating around. Anyone else up for a new outfit?

Marcia said...

I love gift cards for this very reason. They give you permission to shop. I love giving them, too, b/c I don't have money to waste on things that don't work for somebody. Actually, I first became gift-card minded after years of bad gifts from my mom. So much money wasted on things I couldn't use, no receipts with which to return, and hurt feelings if I did. Besides which, returning is a pain.

Becky Shillington said...

Very wise words, Mirka. I a have a few gift cards I need to go and spend now... = )

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I try to spend gift cards as soon as I can because I'm afraid I might lose them!

Yanting Gueh said...

Wow, 6.8 billion dollars worth unredeemed. The only time I didn't use my book vouchers (I was saving them for a special occasion and later on realized I'd passed the date.), I kicked myself for weeks.

Tina Cho said...

Thanks for the reminder. Too sad people are not redeeming them. My kids got an Amazon gift card. Did u cash in on any?

Anonymous said...

Good advice! I spent a portion of a gift card yesterday. Now I'll have to remember to use the leftover before I misplace it.

Mirka Breen said...

Working on it as I type...