But be careful — if you hold on to too many of these cards, you may lose or forget some and wind up wasting free money. But these days, there are apps to help you keep track of them. Here are a few apps we like to help manage that pile of gift cards.
1. Organize the easy way
If you receive traditional plastic gift cards, you can stuff them in a wallet or purse to ensure they’re on hand when you need them. But don’t bother. Card Smash, a free, ad-supported, app can organize and store all your cards including loyalty, rewards, membership and gift cards, both plastic and digital, in one location. Beyond helping you organize and manage your cards, Card Smash syncs across mobile devices and provides 100% offline functionality, which means in the event you have no internet connection, you can still access your digital stash. This app is loaded with a host of features including secure encryption and backup, so you can rest easy.
2. All in one app
The Gyft mobile app offers a free gift card management service, along with the option to buy and send cards to whomever, wherever. With gift cards available for over 200 retailers, what more could you ask for? How about the ability to pay for them with bitcoins? If you pay with cryptocurrency, you may be interested in Facebook’s new coin. Tap or click to find out what you need to know about the social media giant’s new digital currency. Unlike your standard payment method of debit or credit cards, Gyft welcomes bitcoin users. Also, make sure you check out the company’s social media pages, where you can find plenty of promotions such as discounts or bonus dollars with gift card purchases.
3. For the early starters
Now that Christmas has come and gone, you may think it’s time to rest easy. But if you’re one of the many who take their time and utilize the entire year for holiday shopping, Santa’s Bag is for you. This app can help you keep track of gift ideas, your recipients’ wish lists, gift prices and even differentiate between main presents and stocking stuffers. You also have the option to import contacts and set a budget. When it’s time to shop, Santa’s Bag has Quick Lists as a reminder of everything you need to buy. But sorry Android users, this free app is exclusive to iOS devices.
4. For all the haters
OK, so you received a handful of cards during the holidays, of which you will use none. Don’t be a gift card hater. Instead of tossing it aside and forgetting about it, consider selling or exchanging it. If you really want to choose your own gift cards, tap or click here to learn how to earn them for free. Turn to Gift Card Granny if you’d like to sell those cards you know you’ll never use. This interestingly-titled app boasts a free-to-use website that allows you to sell unwanted gift cards at a discount (you won’t receive the full amount your card is worth). Simply enter the gift card brand and its balance, and you can receive immediate offers. Here’s a quick look at a few of the brands with the highest returns: In addition to selling your gift cards, you can purchase some, earn rewards and participate in Granny’s Secret Deals, which is a curated list of great gift card deals that offer bonus cards or other goodies. Thanks to these apps, you won’t ever have to worry about gift card hassles again. All it takes is a quick download and you free up space in your wallet and you can manage all your gift cards with ease.
