Easy methods to get discounted present playing cards

You don’t must pay full value for present playing cards, right here’s how

Whether or not you purchase them as presents, use them to purchase as presents or simply use them on your on a regular basis procuring, there are a number of methods to get a reduction on present playing cards. With Christmas simply across the nook, it’s a extremely widespread time to purchase present playing cards.

The great factor is, you don’t must pay full value for them – and people financial savings can add up. Right here’s the way it’s executed.

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Why use discounted present playing cards?

Present playing cards don’t must be given as presents, regardless of their title. You should purchase discounted present playing cards for locations you store at (or eating places you go to) to save lots of you some cash. 

You should use present playing cards within the place of money, which may let you nonetheless benefit from different offers, reminiscent of Meerkat Motion pictures on the cinema or Clubcard Costs at Tesco. 

Nevertheless, you shouldn’t let your self fall into the entice of shopping for a present card for the sake of an excellent low cost or good cashback.

Methods to get reductions on present playing cards:

There are 5 foremost methods that you could get a reduction on present playing cards, they fall broadly into two classes: reductions on present playing cards and cashback on present playing cards, defined extra under. 

Listed here are our greatest methods to get reductions on present playing cards:

1. Cashback apps/websites: You should use cashback websites and apps like JamDoughnut and Cheddar to purchase present playing cards, the place you’ll earn cashback on the worth. That is usually between 1% and 5%, although generally generally is a lot increased
2. Cashback website payouts: You should use the cash you earn on cashback apps like TopCashback and Quidco to purchase present playing cards – and also you’ll get a small enhance on prime
3. Get present playing cards within the gross sales: You may usually get chosen present playing cards cheaper in locations like supermarkets, Amazon or Costco – they’ll supply as a lot as 15% or 20% off
4. Purchase second-hand present playing cards: There are websites that purchase your present playing cards for money, after which promote them on at a reduction
5. Purchase present playing cards with a cashback card: You may earn cashback on present playing cards by shopping for them with a cashback debit or bank card. You may stack this with different strategies on this checklist – reminiscent of shopping for present playing cards which can be on sale or utilizing cashback apps

1. Get discounted present playing cards with cashback websites

Cashback apps like JamDoughnut, Cheddar and, extra just lately, HyperJar allow you to earn cashback on present playing cards you buy by way of their apps.

They work equally to a conventional cashback website, besides, as an alternative of clicking by way of to make a person transaction, you should buy a present card at your chosen retailer with a set quantity of cashback acknowledged for each.  

2. As a cashback payout 

In case you already use cashback websites and apps, it might shock you that you could generally money out with a present card. With this selection, you’ll get a little bit of a lift in your cashback, so it may be a worthwhile selection if you happen to’re hoping to purchase from a selected retailer. 

TopCashback and Quidco each supply this selection, with 4-6% boosted for supermarkets and as much as 9% with different retailers. Neither JamDoughnut nor Cheddar supply it. 

In case you’re a brand new member of TopCashback, you may get a £15 welcome supply if you happen to spend £15. In case you don’t have Quidco, you may get £17 whenever you join our e-newsletter.

3. Get discounted present playing cards in retailers

You may usually get discounted present playing cards on sale at completely different retailers, together with Amazon, supermarkets and Costco. 

Tesco usually presents this promotion on a lot of its present playing cards. I’ve managed to choose up Pizza Categorical ones for 15% off in-store earlier than, and on the time of writing, it just lately supplied 15% off e-Gft playing cards for Uber, Uber Eats, boohoo and New Look. 

Now we have a web page of present card offers and presents that we replace commonly, so it’s price taking a look to see if you may get an excellent low cost on present playing cards. 

Amazon additionally presents discounted present playing cards round procuring occasions like Black Friday, Prime Day and over the Christmas interval. This may embrace the likes of Apple, Netflix and Airbnb. 

It’s additionally price trying on Amazon for boosts to it’s personal present playing cards or top-up – we’ve a separate Amazon offers web page the place we share the most effective ones.

You probably have a Costco membership (or have a good friend with one), you can even get present playing cards at a reduction in-store or on-line. These are usually for increased quantities, however you may get fairly an excellent low cost. 

On my newest journey to Costco, it had £100 in Nando’s or Pizza Categorical present playing cards for £83.99, £40 in Vue present playing cards for £33.99 and £50 in ODEON present playing cards for £42.99.

In fact, the Costco reductions are good, however it’s important to purchase a excessive worth in present playing cards and also you’ll need to issue within the membership charge if you happen to don’t have already got a membership. That is £30 for the yr for 2 folks, and you may every take two folks in with you. So if you happen to get one, sharing is caring!

You also needs to preserve an eye fixed out for retailers discounting their very own present playing cards. We’ve seen Costa, Cineworld and extra supply bonuses on prime whenever you purchase their present playing cards or a reduction on the face worth. Once more, we’ll share the most effective of those on our present card presents web page and in our e-newsletter.

4. Use a devoted present card sale website

There are a handful of web sites that promote secondhand present playing cards. The thought is that they purchase undesirable present playing cards, after which promote them at a reduced value. 

You may get pretty good reductions on present playing cards, reminiscent of 10% off at ODEON and 5% off at Uber, however you generally have to purchase fairly massive portions and inventory may be restricted.

Cardyard is an instance of those websites, although there are a great deal of different ones. 

Cardyard claims to confirm all of the present playing cards however watch out to examine for protections in case you purchase one which doesn’t work. 

5. Purchase with a cashback card

In case you’ve acquired a cashback card, reminiscent of Chase, you possibly can earn a reimbursement on present playing cards you buy through the use of your debit card to make the acquisition. Within the case of a few of these choices, you are able to do this as well as and earn additional cashback.

This might embrace utilizing your Chase card to make a present card buy in a grocery store whereas they’ve a sale, in Costco or on-line to purchase them utilizing TopGiftCards. 

Nevertheless, with JamDoughnut, you’ll earn much less cashback by paying with a card than by connecting your financial institution, whereas Cheddar solely connects to your checking account with Open Banking, so it’s not an choice.

Keep in mind if you happen to’re heading to Costco with a cashback bank card that it doesn’t take non-Visa bank cards. 

Now we have an entire information on the finest cashback debit and bank cards. 

Dangers of shopping for present playing cards

Present playing cards can usually be used within the place of money, however they aren’t very safe – when you have £50 in a present card for a retailer that then goes bust, you’ll probably lose the cash. 

In addition to this, present playing cards are likely to have expiry dates, nevertheless, some retailers are ditching expiry dates on their present playing cards. 

Plus, if it’s important to return an merchandise, you’ll often get your refund on a present card. You don’t need to be caught with a £200 Currys voucher if you might want to return a vacuum that sucks (or doesn’t).

To keep away from these dangers, you possibly can be sure to solely purchase present playing cards you’ll positively use, and in full. In case you’re utilizing a cashback app, don’t preserve numerous cashback racked up within the account. Now we have extra on the dangers of present playing cards in our devoted information. 

Present card hacks