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Why is spring the perfect time to use holiday gift cards?

Postpone your spring cleaning for another time, it's time to use your holiday gift cards. Why this needs to be done in the spring - we will tell further.

A few years ago, prepaid certificates became the most popular gift option for the holidays and have only been gaining momentum ever since. Restrictions in the era of the coronavirus pandemic have given gift card holders the ability to bypass difficult places in logistics and movement, so their use has grown even more.

The Blackhawk Network conducted a study that found that 30% of gift card users purchased more gift cards during last year's winter holidays than they did before. At the same time, 40% of consumers said that the certificates were purchased as an alternative to real items due to the inability to buy them directly.

Almost every one of us will have one or two (or more) gift cards in our wallet or desk drawer. These humble pieces of plastic hold great potential, and we'll tell you why using them in the spring is a great idea. No matter how many certificates you have, you need to use them right away.

Save the entire gift card denomination

If the certificate is not used for a long time, its deposit will decrease. This is due to special bank charges. For example, let's say you have a Visa gift card that's been lying around for over a year. So - the amount of the deposit available to you will regularly decrease due to the "deduction for inactivity".

And this is the first important reason to use the gift card quickly. You must keep and use the entire face value of the certificate for your own purposes, and not give money to the bank. So that not a single card goes to waste, simply pay them off with the change of season. Make it a habit and you will avoid unexpected financial losses in the form of bank fees.

Use gift cards after inventory

After the New Year, many sellers close their shops to count the remaining goods. Sometimes they have pre-count sales, so there are fewer items to count and the process is simplified. But more often than not, the conducted inventory becomes a reason for depreciating those commodity items, the sales of which did not meet the expectations of the owners.

These items get a decent discount and can be sold at almost half price - a good reason to take your gift card and turn it into a bargain purchase. At the beginning of spring, the bulk of such sales of discounted commodity units falls out.

Great time to refresh your wardrobe

Nature is beginning to awaken after a long and cold winter. And this time is great for replenishing your wardrobe. Do you have a gift card from a shoe store? Fine, then consider yourself a pair of light flip-flops or sneakers for the summer. Perhaps you have a certificate from a department store - then think about buying accessories, a new handbag, a refreshing perfume, or something else.

The change of the season and the rejection of heavy and bulky warm clothes will create a good mood for new purchases, and inspire you to purchase beautiful things. Well, if you want to get the most out of your gift card, pay attention to the off-season discounts. For example, you can stock up on winter shoes that will keep you warm next winter for about half the usual price.

Great spring cleaning

The arrival of warm days is a wonderful occasion to do a grand cleaning and put things in order in your home. Do your own inventory and have Wayfair, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Cheers to You gift cards ready. Did you find them in your stock? Great, it's time to put them into action by adding the certificates from the hardware store nearby that you got for the holiday as well.

Have a clear plan for how to use them. Think about what in the house or on the site near it requires updating and attention above all. Maybe buy other garden furniture or plant boxes? Or maybe something is missing in your BBQ area? Or have you been dreaming about new bedspreads or pillows? In general, here the flight of fantasy of the hostesses is limited only by the amount of the deposit on the gift cards found. Make a complete list of your needs in terms of updating and cleaning your home and yard, and you will be sure to focus on the most important ones.

Spend Gift Cards During Spring Break

Whether you are going on a long trip or will rest at home - it is not so important. Spring is a great time to use gift cards for travel and restaurant holidays. Certificates will help you save money on travel or meals out.

Surprisingly, it is entirely possible to schedule events based on the availability of gift certificates. For example, you are going to use a card from a particular restaurant. OK, then you need to figure out what to do next to this institution so that the trip there becomes more interesting and informative. With this approach, the simple redemption of gift cards will become an exciting business that you will remember for its originality and unusualness.

And these are just a few of the obvious ways to redeem your gift cards this spring. The most important thing to remember is to gather all your certificates and make a more or less detailed plan for how to use them step by step. Make "Gift Card Recycling" an enjoyable and rewarding activity for yourself in the spring, and repeat it regularly each year.