Re-Gift Card


Okay, let's just be honest and admit that we have all, at some point done the re-gift thing. Perhaps you haven't which means that you are more organized than I am by a long shot. Some people that I know have gifts already purchased and wrapped for the next gift giving event. Kudos to those people, really.

I will most heartily admit that I have re-gifted. I cannot pinpoint the exact moment or time I have settled upon a re-gift, but I know that it has been done, especially in moments of "Oh no, tomorrow is the the teacher's birthday and it is 11:00 at night. What do I have that I can wrap?"

If I happen to have nothing to give in the instance of a birthday party, I usually have one of my kids make a card, and throw some cash into the envelope. Everyone loves cash.

Once I received a gift card to Red Lobster for $50.00 from one of my students. Right before I was ready to use the card, I went online to check the balance. Since I had only known the student for one month, and it was the month of June, I knew that the card was a re-gift since it was purchased in early December. I still loved the gift, and all of the food I was able to purchase at no cost.

My oldest boy giggled the other day when he opened a birthday card from one of his friends. On the back of the gift card were the words, "Happy Easter!" What was once placed inside an Easter basket was now my son's gift. He couldn't care less. The gift card worked, and that's all that matters.

I say re-gift. It is cheep, easy, and convenient. However, make sure that all names have been changed to protect the innocent, er...I mean the original gift receiver.

Comments

Sarah Markley said…
We have a family in our church who buys all these gift cards in january (like dozens of them for all different things) and then gives them out for different things through out the year. Birthdays, etc. We'll get stuff from them for Christmas that i am sure was bought in january.
Unknown said…
Gift cards are the best gift to regift. I work for a company that manages and tracks gift cards, and I've been following gift card related issues on savvywallet.com. Consider this: Last year $100B was spent on gift cards and around $8B was lost/unclaimed. Also take into consideration all the companies that are filing and have filed for bankruptcy. In the Sharper Image incident, there is approximately $75m in voided gift cards, right now.