Gift Card Deals and How to Buy Them Cheap
Buy discounted gift cards to save on every purchase. Compare Raise, CardCash, Sam's Club, and retailer promotions for the best gift card deals.
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How Does Buying Discounted Gift Cards Save Money?
Purchasing a $100 gift card for $90 gives you an automatic 10% discount on everything you buy with it. This savings applies on top of any store sales, coupons, or cashback rewards you use during the purchase. Discounted gift cards essentially provide a guaranteed price reduction before you even start shopping.
The discount works because gift card resale platforms connect people who received unwanted cards with buyers who want them. Sellers accept less than face value for immediate cash. Buyers receive verified, activated cards at below face value. The platform takes a small fee from each transaction.
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Best Platforms for Buying Discounted Gift Cards
Raise and CardCash lead the gift card resale market with buyer protection guarantees. Raise offers discounts of 2-15% depending on the retailer and current inventory. CardCash provides similar discounts with a 45-day guarantee against issues with purchased cards.
- Raise — largest selection, 2-15% off, buyer protection
- CardCash — competitive discounts with 45-day guarantee
- Sam's Club — discounted gift card bundles for members
- Costco — below-face-value cards for restaurants and entertainment
- Retailer promotions — bonus cards with gift card purchases
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When Do Retailers Offer Gift Card Promotions?
Holiday season brings the most gift card promotions, with restaurants and retailers offering bonus cards for gift card purchases. Buy a $50 gift card, receive a free $10 bonus card — effectively getting $60 of value for $50. These promotions run from late November through December and are genuinely free money.
Grocery stores periodically offer fuel point bonuses for gift card purchases. Earning 4x fuel points on gift cards purchased at Kroger stacks with the regular grocery fuel rewards. Buying gift cards during these promotions for stores you already shop at turns fuel savings into meaningful monthly savings.
Are Discounted Gift Cards Safe to Buy?
Reputable platforms like Raise and CardCash verify card balances before listing and guarantee buyer protection. Scam risk exists primarily on unregulated platforms like social media marketplaces. Stick to established resale sites with return policies and avoid deals that seem unusually cheap.
Physical gift cards purchased from retailers are always safe. The risk concentrates in peer-to-peer resale and unknown online sellers. Using cards promptly after purchase from resale platforms minimizes the window for any potential issues with seller-initiated returns.
How to Stack Gift Card Savings With Other Deals
Buy a discounted gift card through a cashback portal for double savings. Rakuten earns cashback on gift card purchases from some sellers, adding another savings layer. Pay with a rewards credit card for triple-stacked savings: card discount plus cashback plus credit card rewards.
Use the discounted gift card during a store sale to layer even more savings. A 10% gift card discount combined with a 30% off sale creates an effective 37% discount. This stacking strategy works for any planned purchase where you know the retailer in advance.
Best Gift Cards to Buy at a Discount
Restaurant gift cards typically offer the deepest discounts on resale platforms at 10-20% below face value. Clothing retailer cards provide consistent 5-10% discounts. Amazon and Walmart cards rarely appear discounted because demand keeps their resale value close to face value.
Specialty store cards for places like Home Depot, Lowe's, and Best Buy appear at 3-8% discounts. These moderate discounts still save meaningful amounts on large home improvement or electronics purchases. A 5% discount on a $500 Home Depot purchase saves $25 with minimal effort.
Digital vs. Physical Discounted Gift Cards
Digital gift cards from resale platforms deliver instantly via email for immediate use. Physical cards require shipping time but some shoppers prefer the tangibility. Both formats receive the same buyer protection from reputable platforms.
Digital cards work seamlessly for online shopping because you enter the card number at checkout. In-store use requires the physical card or adding the digital card to your phone's wallet. Most major retailers accept mobile gift cards through Apple Wallet or Google Wallet integration.
Corporate Gift Card Programs for Extra Savings
Employer benefit programs sometimes offer discounted gift cards as a perk. Companies like PerkSpot and Corporate Shopping provide 5-20% discounts on gift cards from major retailers. Check with your HR department to see if your employer provides these savings programs.
Credit card reward programs let you redeem points for gift cards, sometimes at bonus conversion rates. Chase, Amex, and Citi periodically offer enhanced redemption values for specific retailers. Converting points to gift cards during these bonus events stretches your rewards further.
Gift Card Mistakes That Cost Money
Buying gift cards for stores you rarely visit wastes money regardless of the discount. A 15% discount means nothing if the card sits unused in a drawer for months. Only buy discounted cards for retailers where you have specific, imminent spending plans.
Gift card scams involving tampered physical cards at retail racks remain a concern. Inspect packaging for signs of opening before purchasing physical cards from store displays. Choose cards from the back of the rack and verify activation before leaving the store.
How to Sell Unwanted Gift Cards
Sell unwanted gift cards through the same platforms you buy from — Raise, CardCash, and CardPool. Expect to receive 70-90% of face value depending on the retailer's desirability. Popular retailer cards sell faster and at higher percentages than niche store cards.
Kiosk machines like Coinstar in grocery stores provide instant cash for gift cards at lower rates. The convenience of immediate payment versus waiting for an online sale justifies the lower rate for small balances. Compare platform offers before accepting any specific buyer's price.
Gift Card Regulation and Consumer Protection
Federal law prohibits gift card expiration within five years of purchase and limits inactivity fees. State laws often provide additional protections including zero-fee requirements and longer expiration periods. These protections apply to all gift cards regardless of where or how they were purchased.
Lost or stolen gift cards may be replaceable if you have the original receipt and card number. Register gift cards online when the issuer offers this option to protect your balance. Treating gift cards like cash — keeping track and using them promptly — prevents the most common losses.
