How to Put Thought Into Gift Cards

Using gift cards to substitute an actual gift is something most people have been guilty of. They're easy to buy and easy to justify--"I don't know what to get her; she can pick out a better present than I can!" Sometimes we buy gift certificates because we procrastinate too long before buying a present. Though most recipients actually appreciate gift cards or pre-paid debit cards, they still have the stigma of being a thoughtless gift. If you give gift cards as presents, here are some tips to make them more personalized and unique.

Put the gift card in nice envelope with a fancy card, or wrap it in a small box like a "real" present.

Instead of buying a single gift card in a large denomination, give several smaller denomination gift cards for different stores. For example, $25 at Amazon and $25 at Sears or Target makes a nice gift card bundle for a female or young adult. For the college student, you can buy gift cards for pizza restaurants, grocery stores, Starbucks, K-mart, or other places that specialize in cheap and quick. Think about what people need to buy frequently.

Look for specialty online merchants who have unique gifts you may never have considered. There are a wealth of online stores that have gourmet chocolates, coffee, and tea. There are many online clothing stores that don't have physical stores in your area or the recipient's area.

If a store gives you the option of choosing your own image for the gift card, take advantage of it. Find a goofy photo, or an old forgotten picture that will bring back happy memories.

If you are a serial giver of gift certificates, always make sure to use a different store on each occasion.

Do you have credit card rewards that are in the form of code numbers? If you want to give these as gifts, you can make your own gift cards with the code numbers printed on the back. This is ideal if you accumulate tons of airline miles, but don't travel much. Make sure that the reward points are transferable.