Depending on your mood, gift-giving can fall somewhere between an exciting opportunity to show someone how much you care about them… and merely a time-consuming (and costly) social obligation.
Even if you are someone who doesn’t mind taking the time to look for a gift for a friend, family member, or someone else whom you care about or admire, it can be a challenge to find just the right gift. That is why prepaid gift cards are such a good choice.
When you buy a prepaid card, you allow the gift’s recipient to have a bigger say in just what specific item(s) they will ultimately receive from you. At the same time, it is much more exciting and interesting than just giving cash.
If you are looking for creative ways to give a prepaid gift card, here are 5 ways:
1. Give a gift card that is meant to be used with a dedicated brand name:
One popular type of prepaid gift card is that of the dedicated brand name gift card. You have certainly seen these around. Popular superstores such as Wal-Mart, Target, iTunes and Amazon all offer this type of card, as do thousands of other retailers.
The best reason to give this type of card is that you can have your gift carry a certain vibe or send a certain message, depending upon the recipient’s personality and their life circumstance. For example, if you are giving something to a person who is setting up at a new house or apartment, a department store or superstore gift card might be most ideal. If you are giving one to a music lover, try an iTunes card (etc.).
2. Give a prepaid debit card that can be used wherever traditional credit cards are accepted:
Another popular type of prepaid gift card is that of the prepaid debit card. These carry the symbols of big-name credit card companies like Visa or Discover. This means that they can be used anywhere where a credit card is accepted at any one of millions of locations worldwide.
But, they are actually not credit cards at all – which means there is no application process or credit check required. Instead, the recipient simply uses that cards like a credit card. Very convenient!
3. Give a card as a way to help a college student control their finances:
If you have a college student as a son or daughter who is newly out on his or her own, you may be looking for ways to help them control their spending. One reason this is needed is that many college students, when given access to a regular credit card, can tend to immediately run up the balance – getting themselves into credit trouble early in life.
By contrast, with a prepaid gift card, they can simply make purchases as they see fit. Yet, they will never run up the balance too high since they cannot spend more than what is on the card.
4. Give one as a gift for someone who is shopping for home furnishings as they move out of the house for the first time:
Another great idea: if you know someone who is moving out of the home for the first time – or someone who is going through a major life transition such as after a divorce or the loss of a significant other – you can help them get back on their feet again with a gift card. They can use it to shop for home furnishings, sundries, and the like.
5. Give one to someone who is remodeling their home:
Finally, if you have someone in your life who is remodeling their home, they are going to need all the help they can get with their expenses. A remodel is always more costly than people expect: not only do you have to pay the construction team, but there are always a lot of little things that have to be purchased along the way. A prepaid gift card is perfect for such an occasion.
Try these 5 tips for creative ways to give a prepaid gift card to someone you care about.