My solution was to create a website where people can transfer their Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or Discover gift card balance to PayPal – http://www.cashfromcards.com.

Interesting to note that you and your better half don’t do gifts….pans forward a few months to her birthday….

@Rick :: I’ve managed to use them all.

@HRS :: Cash is the way to go for me.

@Stephen :: Panini! The cafeteria at my office has Panini Tuesdays and I love them – where are some photos of your panini creations?

@Damien :: Thanks for linking that site, good stuff.

@Forrest :: There is a reason that just about every store offers a gift card now and it is because they make money from them.

@Matt :: You’d likely find the futon gift card to be a money maker for you, lol. My wife and I usually don’t do gifts either, or keep them to something under $10 or so. This year we obviously splurged.

@FS :: The problem is having a wallet full of cards that all have less than $5.00 left on them because nobody will give you cash back.

@Dan :: That is a really interesting point of view on the gift cards. As someone that uses (and pays off the credit card) for as much as possible to earn rewards, that is a good point. However, my primary issue is when you have that card for a small store or independent restaurant and don’t use the entire card – now you either have to go back again (which you may not want to do) or let the remaining money slip away into the pockets of the store. Thanks for the additional thoughts though!

@MPB :: It is always more fun shopping when you don’t have to spend your own money.

I’d much rather received gift cards to small local stores or independently operated restaurants that other people enjoy so I have a reason to expand my horizons, but maybe that is just me.

BTW, my wife and I didn’t do gifts this year, it was way less stressful.

Matt