ByA Complete Guide on What To Do With Unused Gift Cards
Did you get a gift card from a restaurant you never eat at or a clothing store you never shop at? Even though you may want to get rid of those gift cards, you shouldn’t. There are many ways you can utilize them, and we will show you how!
Check out our thorough guide to get ideas on what to do with unused gift cards!
Is It Really Unused? Check the Balance of Your Gift Card With DoNotPay
Do you suspect someone got their hands on your gift card and used it? Before you decide on what to do with your gift card, you should check its remaining balance. All it takes is one photo and a few steps to find out how much money you have left on it:
- in any web browser
- Select the Check Gift Card Balance feature
- Upload a clear photo of your unused gift card
We will:
- Contact the card issuer
- Inquire about the leftover balance on your gift card
- Notify you as soon as we find out
Here is a fraction of the gift cards DoNotPay can help you check the remaining balance of:
Can You Get Cash Back From Unused Gift Cards?
Yes, you can get cash back from unused gift cards but only in 11 states plus Puerto Rico. Their gift card laws allow you to return your gift cards for cash, but there are some limits.
Take a look at this table to find out which states allow cash back and what the limit is:
| Cash Back Locations | Cash Back Limit |
| California | $10 |
| Colorado | $5 |
| Maine | $5 |
| Montana | $5 |
| New Jersey | $5 |
| Oregon | $5 |
| Puerto Rico | $5 |
| Washington | $5 |
| Massachusetts | $5 |
| Connecticut | $3 |
| Rhode Island | $1 |
| Vermont | $1 |
DoNotPay Can Help You Get Cash Back From Gift Cards With No Fuss
If your gift card has a balance that equals or is less than $10, DoNotPay can help you get that money back in no time! and follow these steps to start the cash back process:
- Open our Gift Card Cash Back feature
- Provide information about your unused gift card, such as where you got it from, what the leftover balance is, etc.
- Click on the Sign and Submit button
We will forward your request to the card vendor, and you will receive your cash back within 14 days of request submission.
Even if you don’t live in a cash back state, we can still help you by finding out if the vendor has a store in a location that allows for cash back and sending your request there.
Check out these guides to find out more about gift cards:
- How to get free gift cards
- What to do with used gift cards
- How to use the remaining balance on your gift card
- Where to get Sephora gift cards
- How to exchange gift cards from:
What Else Can You Do With Unused Gift Cards?
You can go about unused gift cards in two ways:
- Get rid of gift cards in a beneficial way
- Give away your gift cards
How To Get Rid of Gift Cards in a Beneficial Way
Once you decide you don’t want to utilize your gift cards, check out these several ways you can get rid of and still benefit from them:
- Sell them—Sell your gift card using one of the plenty of websites. You can spend the money you earn that way on discounted gift cards that you want to use
- Trade them—Trade your gift card online or in person for any other of equal value
- Find and visit a card kiosk—Exchange your gift card at a card kiosk and turn it into cash. Keep in mind that a card kiosk will never return the total value of your gift card, though
- Buy items that you can sell—Shop for products you’re sure you can sell quickly on Etsy or eBay
Give Away Your Unused Gift Cards
If you want to get rid of your cards and do something good at the same time, here are some ways you can go about it:
- Donate your cards—Charities could get groceries, clothing, and medicine for people in need using both your used and unused gift cards. Before donating your cards, do your research to avoid being scammed
- Buy items to donate—You can go and buy products that you want to donate by yourself and avoid card misuse
- Gift your cards—Your friends may want to utilize your unwanted gift card. Treat them to lunch or give them the card for a special occasion
You Can Always Do More With DoNotPay
Our platform can be used in so many different ways. Thanks to loads of useful products and services available within the app, our subscribers can draft documents, fight workplace discrimination, or get compensation for fighting robocalls.
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If you have a problem, DoNotPay has a solution.
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