There are several ways to get gift cards, along with several places. I'm going to look at these briefly, as there really is little to really explain. There are many types of gift cards. Some are good for food, some for shopping, some for just about anything.
When we look at dining, you have a lot of national or regional establishments which sell gift cards. Some of these, like McDonalds or Subway, are good at these specific restaurants. Others, like Red Lobster and Olive Garden are good at the face location, as well as other members of the Darden Restaurant family. This can be applied to other "family" chains. Especially during this time of the year, some restaurants, like Weber Grill offer promotions incremental gift card purchases earn the buyer bonus cards. In the case of Weber Grill, every $100 in gift cards earns the buyer a $25 bonus card. Gift cards can be purchased in-store, online, or through third parties. Third parties, however, may charge an activation fee, and may not honor promotions for bonus cards. Giving a gift card to one of these eateries will allow the recipient to enjoy your gift at a time that is convenient to them.
Another type of popular gift card is the store-specific card. You may know someone who loves Best Buy, Target, Walmart, the dollar store, Macy's, etc. Some are even purchasable for online retailers like Amazon. With a gift card, you don't really have to worry about size, shape, color, style... You just need to find a good way to present it. Like the restaurant gift cards, retail gift cards may be purchased in-store, online, or through third parties. Similarly, third party retailers may charge an "activation fee". Also, some will be useful for purchases in-store, or both in-store or online. Some may be useful only at a specific store, while some may be usable at any store within the "family". Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic work this way.
The last type of gift card I'd like to touch on here, today, is the Visa/Mastercard/American Express gift card. These come pre-loaded with a set amount of money. They can be purchased or ordered from many places, though retailers may charge an activation fee for them. Some can be personalized, others just have a generic message or logo on them. These allow for some of the greatest flexibility. They allow for the recipient to spend them anywhere that type of card is accepted. This is perhaps the most versatile gift.
Economic factor? This all depends on how much you are willing or able to spend. The value is definitely there, when promotional opportunities can be siezed.
Check back for more gift ideas when we get down to #7!
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