Is There a Way to Clear a Gift Card to Use Again

Thursday December 19, 2019

What to Do with Modest Remainder on a Gift Card or a Visa Gift Bill of fare

So Many Questions about Gift Menu Balances

I get many questions about gift card balances and how to use the final footling bit that's left over later a major purchase. The reply depends on the type of gift card you take. Store and restaurant souvenir cards are different from Visa and Mastercard gift cards, so I have to care for these questions differently. In the blog post beneath, I'll answer these primary questions:

Questions about Store and Restaurant Souvenir Menu Balances

Can I Render a Store Gift Card that I Don't Want?
Tin can I Get Cash Back After I Used About of the Gift Card?
Which States Crave Merchants to Give Cash Back?
How Tin I Use a Few Dollars Left on a Shop Gift Carte?

Questions about Visa Gift Carte Balances and Mastercard Gift Card Balances

Can I Return a Visa Gift Card that I Don't Want?
Tin I Cash Out the Small Rest of a Visa Souvenir Card?
Can I Sell a Visa Gift Card for Cash?
Tin can I Get Cash Dorsum from a Visa Souvenir Menu?
How Can I Use the Terminal Few Dollars Left on a Visa Gift Bill of fare?

General Questions

What Other Souvenir Carte Hacks Can I Endeavour?

branded gift cards sold at grocery store

1. Can I Return a Store Souvenir Menu that I Don't Want?

There are not federal or state laws that dictate whether or not a gift menu tin be returned so information technology is upwardly to each merchant to set that policy. Most store and restaurant gift cards that I come across accept terms printed on the carte, on the packaging or on a website that say, "This card is non-refundable and non-returnable."

I have seen, however, that some stores will allow y'all to return a gift carte du jour within a brusk menses of fourth dimension after purchase and then long equally you have the purchase receipt and haven't used the card. Target, for example, has a generous return policy.

The Target.com FAQ says, "Concrete Target GiftCards can be returned in shop with a receipt if unused" and "Your Target® Visa®, Mastercard® or American Limited® Gift Card tin can be returned to any Target store with a valid, original-buy receipt. Your card must exist new, unopened, comprise all original packaging, and must be returned within xc days of purchase."

However, this is an exception. Fifty-fifty Nordstrom, the department store well-known for having a generous client return policy says, "Souvenir Cards may not be returned or applied as payment on any business relationship."

If yous take a store souvenir carte du jour that you'd like to return, check the back of the gift card for terms and conditions, check the retailer'south website for information or drib by the store to ask.

If you lot are willing to accept less than face value for the gift card, then you could sell it to a gift card reseller for greenbacks instead.

Back to Acme

two. Can I Go Greenbacks Back Later on I Used Most of the Gift Card?

In some states, if the residue of a store-issued gift card falls below a certain threshold, the merchant is required to redeem the gift menu for greenbacks upon request. In California, for example, a gift menu under $10 tin be refunded. In Maine and New Bailiwick of jersey, the limit is simply $v. In both cases, the gift card balance must previously have been above the residuum threshold.

Please note, the rules exercise non apply to gift cards that were received via donation or every bit function of a advantage, loyalty or promotional program. These rules practice not apply to Visa or Mastercard gift cards either.

How to go the gift bill of fare remainder dorsum in greenbacks: Use the list below–state laws that require merchants to cash out souvenir cards–to find out if your state requires stores and restaurants to give cash back when gift menu balances drop. If so, then pay attention to the transaction when y'all redeem your souvenir card. If the balance falls below the cut-off line, ask the cashier to pay you the balance of the gift card in greenbacks. Some will practice it automatically and others will take to call the shop manager to find out how to do information technology.

Heed yous, I've never walked away empty-handed when I know the souvenir card police force, but I do sometimes have to explain the law and other times I have to wait. If this happens to you, be patient. Few people enquire to become the coin off of their gift cards and so clerks might non know how to perform the transaction. Also, you can ask for the greenbacks back at any fourth dimension. Y'all don't take to remember to ask when get-go redeeming the souvenir bill of fare. Adjacent fourth dimension you're in the store, ask the cashier to cash out your pocket-size value gift card.

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3. Which States Crave Merchants to Requite Cash Back for Souvenir Cards?

I'm non a lawyer, so don't accept this as legal advice, simply from my research, united states of america below crave merchants to give cash dorsum upon request if the gift card value falls below the state-mandated amount. Links to each country's gift carte laws are provided so you tin study the state gift carte du jour laws in your ain state to exist certain.

Country	Souvenir Carte Balance Threshold	Gift Carte Cashback Law
California	Less than $10	California State Gift Card Law: In California, any bill of fare with a cash value less than $10 may be redeemed for cash upon request. This rule applies to store souvenir cards, but non bank-issued souvenir cards that can be used anywhere.
Colorado	$five or Less	Colorado Land Gift Card Law: In Colorado, whatever card with a cash value of $5 or less may be redeemed for cash upon request. This rule does not apply to prepaid phone cards, promotional cards, bank-issued gift cards or newspaper gift certificates.
Connecticut	Less than $iii	Connecticut State Gift Carte du jour Law: In Connecticut, a gift card may be redeemed for cash when the residuum is less than $iii.00 after a purchase and the consumer requests the gift menu exist redeemed for cash. The greenbacks redemption requirement only applies when the consumer requesting cash provides either the proof of purchase receipt or the gift receipt for the souvenir carte
Maine	Less than $5	Maine Land Gift Card Police force: In Maine, gift and reward cards with a cash value of less than $v may be redeemed for cash upon request. This rule does not apply to cards with an initial value of $5 or less, prepaid phone cards, promotional cards, bank-issued gift cards, cards issued for merchandise credit, paper souvenir certificates.
Massachusetts	Not-reloadable: Less than 10% of the Value Reloadable: Less than $5	Massachusetts Land Gift Menu Law: In Massachusetts, if the gift card is NOT reloadable and 90% or more of the gift card value has been redeemed, a merchant must requite the consumer the choice betwixt receiving cash OR maintaining the remaining balance on the card. If the souvenir bill of fare is reloadable (the holder can add value to the bill of fare), the merchant must still requite the consumer the option to receive the remaining rest of the gift card if the value is $5 or less. This rule applies to one-fourth dimension use and reloadable souvenir cards, just does not apply to prepaid phone cards or bank-issued gift cards.
Montana	Less than $v	Montana State Gift Carte du jour Constabulary: In Montana, gift cards with a greenbacks value of less than $5 may be redeemed for cash upon request if the original value of the bill of fare was more than $5. This rule does not apply to prepaid phone cards, advantage cards, loyalty cards or bank-issued gift cards.
New Bailiwick of jersey	Less than $5	New Jersey State Gift Card Law: In New Jersey, souvenir cards with a greenbacks value of less than $5 may be redeemed for cash upon request if the original value of the bill of fare was more than $5. This rule does not apply to prepaid phone cards, depository financial institution-issued souvenir cards or cards issued for merchandise credit.
Oregon	Less than $5	Oregon State Souvenir Card Law: In Oregon, gift cards with a cash value of less than $five that have been used at to the lowest degree once may be redeemed for greenbacks upon request. This rule does not apply to prepaid phone cards, promotional gift cards or gift cards redeemed online.
Puerto Rico	Less than $5	Puerto Rico Gift Card Law: In Puerto Rico, gift cards with a balance of $5 or less tin be claimed from the issuer or the card in greenbacks. This rule does non use to certificates issued on paper, telecommunication prepaid cards, open loop gift cards, reloadable cards that are not marketed or identified as a gift card, or cards issued as office of a price or promotional program and that do not crave disbursement of monies in exchange.
Rhode Island	Less than $1	Rhode Island Country Gift Card Law: In Rhode Island, gift cards with a cash value of less than $1 later on being used may be redeemed for cash upon request. This rule does non employ to prepaid telephone cards, reward cards, loyalty cards or bank-issued souvenir cards.
Texas	Less than $2.50	Texas State Gift Card Law: In Texas, retailers must provide greenbacks redemption on gift cards that take a value of less than $two.50. The law only applies to gift cards used to make in-person purchases (i.e., not online). The cash redemption is not required if the initial value was $5 or less and the customer couldn't add value to the card. This rule does not apply to prepaid phone cards, advantage cards, loyalty cards or depository financial institution-issued gift cards.
Vermont	Less than $1	Vermont State Gift Bill of fare Law: In Vermont, unused portions of expired gift cards may be redeemed for greenbacks upon asking. Gift cards with a cash value of less than $ane may as well exist redeemed for greenbacks.
Washington	Less than $5	Washington State Gift Card Law: In Washington, gift cards with a greenbacks value of less than $5 may exist redeemed for cash upon request.

Subway gift card with $3.19 written on it

four. How Can I Use a Few Dollars Left on a Store Gift Carte du jour?

If the balance does non fall below the land-mandated threshold or your state does not require cashing out miniscule gift cards, and then the only matter to exercise is simply utilise the gift carte du jour.

If you can, utilise the entirety of the gift card residuum when you starting time redeem the souvenir card. That's the easiest affair to practice. If your intended purchase does not exceed the remainder, look for a small item nigh the cash register to push you over the limit. Though I'thousand not suggesting you spend the money frivilously, I practise believe that it is ameliorate to buy something in the moment than to let the tiny rest go to waste–which is what it seems well-nigh people exercise.

I go along my gift cards side by side to the debit and credit cards I use most often. So whenever I am in a store, I am reminded that I have gift cards to spend. Here are my other tricks for remembering to use gift cards.

high dollar value visa gift cards

5. Can I Render a Visa Gift Carte that I Don't Desire?

Similar to store gift cards, the answer is generally no. However, a few stores may allow it. As noted above, Target will permit y'all to return a Target Visa, Mastercard or American Limited gift carte du jour if you have the original purchase receipt, the souvenir bill of fare is unopened, all of the packaging is in tact and the card hasn't been used. I think this is an exception, nonetheless.

At Giftcards.com, for example, neither store nor bank-issued gift cards cannot exist returned. The Best Buy Onlne Assistance Center says, "Other nonreturnable purchases include…prepaid cards (including 3rd-party souvenir cards)…". And Kroger, one of many grocery store chains that sells prepaid cards says, "Once a gift carte has been purchased and shipped the carte du jour is not refundable."

If you lot are the purchaser of a Visa gift card that yous no longer want, check the terms and conditions on the carte du jour or packaging, look for a gift card return policy on the card issuer'south website or become dorsum to the store to enquire about their gift card render policy in person. In most cases, I practice not believe a Visa or Mastercard gift menu can be returned, but if Target is willing to practice it, perhaps other stores are besides.

Dorsum to Top

small balance left on visa gift card

six. Tin can I Cash Out the Small Balance of a Visa Gift Carte?

State gift bill of fare laws that require merchants to cash out gift cards once the balance falls below a threshold practice not use to banking company-issued gift cards such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express. In my opinion, however, it is pretty easy to use the miniscule balance on a Visa or Mastercard gift menu in nigh places. Here'southward what I exercise:

Step one: Keep Souvenir Cards Handy I carry my gift cards adjacent to the debit and credit cards I apply most often. Doing and then prompts me to consider whether or not I tin utilize a gift bill of fare whenever I reach into my wallet.

Footstep 2: Know the Residue Although non necessary, I check the balance of my gift cards so I know how much I have to spend. Many point of sale systems tin can deduct the residual of a gift card without knowing how much is on the card, only I have found that some older models will simply decline a card if the balance is less than the full amount of my buy. Having the balance handy helps ensure the card is run correctly.

Step iii: Tell the Cashier Before handing over the souvenir card, I tell the cashier that I would like to use more than i course of payment for my purchase. I might say something like, "I have a Visa souvenir bill of fare with a couple of dollars left on it that I would like to use kickoff. Then I'll pay the balance with another card. Is that ok?" This gives the cashier a heads-up in instance the organisation has issues with "split-tender transactions."

As shown in the video above, I almost always end upwardly using the small remainder of my gift cards at Target. It definitely works at other stores, only it works flawlessly at Target every fourth dimension.

The last fourth dimension I used several pocket-sized balance Visa gift cards in a single transaction, the Target cashier fifty-fifty showed me how to process the cards myself at the self check-out stand up. This is a perfect solution for people who throw gift cards away because they are too embarrassed to use them when the balance is less than a dollar.

7. Can I Sell a Visa Gift Card for Cash?

I have seen a few websites that say they convert Visa gift cards to cash, but I have not used whatever of them myself nor do I know who backs these companies. Since the reputable gift carte resellers that I typically work with do not buy or sell Visa gift cards, I don't feel comfortable making a recommendation to do so at this time.

You could, I suppose, sell your Visa gift card to a friend or family member who you trust.

Rather than sell the Visa souvenir card for cash, all the same, I propose "converting" it in a different fashion. Here's what I do:

When I receive a Visa gift card, I shop it in my wallet next to the debit and credit cards I use most often. When I attain into my wallet to pay for something, I am reminded to use the Visa gift card. I do this until the residual is used up. A Visa gift card with a small residue might go used quickly at a restaurant the adjacent time I go out to consume. A Visa gift menu with more money on information technology might get used to pay for groceries, gas, a co-pay at the doc and more.

Although I don't "greenbacks out" the souvenir bill of fare using this strategy, it feels like I did because I used the gift card to pay for things that normally would accept come out of my checking account.

viii. Tin I Get Cash Back from a Visa Souvenir Card?

In my experience, banks will decline transactions that are deemed "cash." That means you can't use a Visa gift bill of fare at an ATM nor tin you accept information technology to a cash annals and ask for "greenbacks back." I accept tried it myself to see if information technology will work, but the transaction declines every time.

In general, you cannot apply Visa gift cards and Mastercard souvenir cards on peer-to-peer payment apps like PayPal or Venmo either. Though I have heard of people working these systems (sending coin to themselves, for example), loopholes that may have previously existed are at present closed.

9. How Can I Use the Last Few Dollars Left on a Visa Gift Card?

Think you're stuck with a Visa gift card that only has a few dollars on it? Remember you lot can't utilize a Mastercard gift card in one case the remainder is less than the transaction? Call back over again. In either example, the gift bill of fare is usable. But you may take to have a couple of extra steps to redeem the total value of the gift card.

As explained in a higher place and in the video at the top of this blog post, I do it all the fourth dimension. The fundamental is to continue the souvenir cards handy so you retrieve to employ them, know the remainder of the cards and tell the cashier that y'all demand to apply more than one class of payment for the transaction.

Here'due south the video once again:

Now VIRTUAL Visa egift cards and Mastercard egift cards are another story. Because these gift cards take to exist used online, the steps are unlike.

Here'due south how to use the small balance on a VIRTUAL Visa eGift Cards Online.

ten. What Other Gift Card Hacks Tin can I Endeavour?

If you really feel stuck with a souvenir bill of fare that has almost no money on information technology, don't give upwards promise or merely throw the bill of fare away. (Also many people practice that!) Try this list below to see if one of the suggestions is a better fit for you lot:

Ask the Cashier While your state may not require merchants to cash out gift cards, some stores take adopted the policy anyway. When using a gift card, ask the cashier if yous can have the remainder in cash. Yous might be surprised.

Buy something more. This isn't my favorite option, but I would rather spend a few extra dollars than hold onto a bothersome balance that I may forget to use or get tired of carrying in my wallet. When at the cash register, throw a pack of gum on the conveyor belt or add a candy bar to the full. Spend equally little as possible to go higher up the gift card balance so the carte will be fully redeemed.

Utilize it to your account. If the merchant allows y'all to add a souvenir bill of fare to your online account before redeeming it, then only redeem the card, add the residuum, and apply information technology to a future purchase. Amazon and iTunes both work this way. You can redeem a gift card and then simply flake away at the balance every time yous make a purchase until the money is gone.

Utilize a pocket-size Visa gift card balance in a big store. Large stores seem better equipped to handle multiple forms of payment. Just like I have always had a positive experience at Target, I've also been told that my Visa gift card didn't work when I tried to employ it at a footling eating place. The decline can happen because the cashier is inexperienced, the betoken of auction system is old or any number of things. Merely big stores that handle the gamut of transactions seem unphased past my 3 souvenir cards that all add up to ii dollars.

Buy a Shop gift menu with a Visa souvenir card. Though many retailers will not let you to buy a store souvenir card with a shop souvenir carte du jour, they may permit you lot to buy a store souvenir menu with a Visa gift card. I've done this both online and in stores.

On many occasions, I have purchased Amazon.com egift cards using small Visa souvenir card balances. For instance, if I accept $3.71 left on a Visa bill of fare, I can use information technology to buy a $3.71 Amazon egift menu ON the Amazon.com site. (Note: this only works if you purchase direct from Amazon and the dollar amounts are the aforementioned.) When the Amazon egift bill of fare arrives, I redeem it and apply information technology to my account. Adjacent time I brand a purchase, I apply the saved funds.

Donate the balance. If you lot take a souvenir card you can't utilise simply that withal has a usable remainder, donate the gift card to a local charity or nonprofit in your surface area. Schools are usually in demand besides.

Although it is best (or I should say easiest) to use the full value of a gift bill of fare the commencement time you redeem it, I call up it is worth trying to use small remaining balance of a gift card at any time.

If you have more questions about gift cards or nigh using the tiny, miniscule residual of a gift card, allow me know in the comments below or reach out to me on Twitter (@GCGirlfriend) or on Instagram (@Gift.Carte.Girlfriend).

Happy Gift Carding!

~Shelley Hunter, Souvenir Card Girlfriend

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Source: https://www.giftcards.com/gcgf/return-giftcards