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You have received a gift card from your friend or relative. You don’t know what to do with it. You can’t use it at the store where you bought it, or you don’t want to return it to where you got it. What can you do with a gift card?
Of course, you’d need to cash it in. That’s the only way to get the money you want. The problem is that many stores don’t accept your gift card; if they do, they might charge you a fee. It’s a shame to let them sit around collecting dust while others use them for their intended purpose! Instead, let’s find out how to turn your gift cards into cash!
What are Gift Card Exchange Kiosks?
Some gift card exchange kiosks allow you to exchange all the gift cards you purchased for a set amount. You can sell gift cards at exchange kiosks that allow you to redeem the money you received when you bought them. If you sell a gift card, you get a gift voucher at the kiosk. You can also sell your gift cards to people online by using many other websites. You can also use gift cards in other ways, such as giving them to people you know as gifts or re-gifting them to them.
It’s wasteful to have gift cards you won’t use, especially as the expiration date for the card draws closer. We tried to find the best gift card exchange kiosks offering the highest prices. If you know where to buy the highest value gift cards, you can avoid being pressured into spending money on things that you don’t need. So, keep reading, and don’t forget to look at our picks.
Walmart
Walmart accepts gift cards from all of its participating stores. Walmart doesn’t show the minimum balance required to redeem a gift card, so it’s best to call the store you plan to visit in order to get the offer. You can get $8 off a Walmart gift card if you buy something on the website.
Walmart has partnered with CardCash to let customers sell their gift cards for cash. Visit the Store Finder on the official Walmart website to find stores that sell gift cards. If you find a store that sells gift cards, ask them if they have exchange kiosks. Enter your card details on the exchange machine and try to get the price you want. If you are happy with the price, take the voucher and give it to the cashier. Wait until the cashier gives you the amount that the voucher indicates.
Target
Target stores accept gift cards from more than 100 restaurants and stores. There’s no minimum amount that the store will take in order for them to be accepted. There is no minimum amount that the store will accept, and no minimum purchase is required.
If you live near a Target store, just go to Target’s Store Locator to find the closest one. You can contact the store directly to see if they participate in the Program or ask the store associate if they participate. Visit the store’s department for electronics and double-check to see if you can exchange your gift card for a cash credit. Pass your gift card over to the store so that clerks can look it up and price it. If they scan your gift card, they will tell you what your gift card is worth. Complete the transaction if you’re happy with the price being offered to you.
Target does not have a fee posted on its website, but it’s pretty normal for stores not to give you the full amount when you exchange gift cards. Sometimes, you can get as much as $8.25 off a $10 gift card.
Walgreens
Walgreens only allows you to exchange gift cards in certain states. You cannot get money for cashing in your Walgreens gift card until the balance on your card is below a certain amount.
Walgreens has a Store Locator that you can use to find stores near you. There are also other options you can use to find the closest stores to you. Visit a Walgreens store in any state where the store operates and ask to cash in your gift card. Go to the store’s cashier and tell him you want to cash in your unused gift card.
You get the same amount of money back from a Walgreens gift card when you exchange it for a Visa gift card or a store gift card. You can expect to get a minimum of $7 to $8.5 from a $10 gift card. Take note that there is a limited program for cash-ins offered by them. You can only exchange gift cards for cash if the balance on the card is under a certain amount. You can only cash in your gift cards at Walgreens stores in 10 states; if you don’t live in one of those states, you can choose another option.
Alternatives to Gift Card Exchange Kiosks & Stores
If you’re having a hard time finding a gift card exchange kiosk or store, there are some other alternatives you can consider, including the following:
CardCash: allows you to sell, trade, or exchange gift cards at a discount.
Raise: this website allows you to list your gift cards and sell them. You get paid directly through direct deposit or PayPal.
Gift Card Outlets: here’s another website that allows you to buy or sell gift cards.
These websites are well-known and popular, so they’re pretty safe to use for exchanging or buying gift cards. It’s best not to use other sites that are not as well known. You may run across scams and lose any funds you could have gotten.
So, use these reputable platforms, but make sure to check their buyer protection measure before you sell or buy. Ensure they also offer secure transactions and stay away from deals that seem too good to be true.
However, if you choose a site to exchange gift cards, make sure to read through the site first. You may see ads for sellers on Craigslist, for example. They may make huge promises about selling fully loaded cards when, in reality, you receive mostly used or empty gift cards.
If you choose to buy or exchange gift cards through an online website, always look for a post-purchase guarantee. This ensures the cards are legitimate and fully loaded. If there’s a problem with a gift card, the site will refund your purchase quickly.
What to Consider When Cashing In Gift Cards
If your gift card has a balance, it will be verified by a gift card exchange machine, but you’ll still want to know the balance before accepting an offer to exchange it. Sometimes kiosks will only accept gift cards that have a balance of at least $20. It’s easy to check the balance of a gift card by looking at the back of the card, and either calling the number on the card or going to the website listed on the card.
When you go to the kiosk, you’ll need to tap your gift card in order that it will read the magnetic stripe on the card. Other times, you’d have to hold up the barcode to get the total value. If the card is unusually shaped or bent, getting the scanner to read it may be hard.
In conclusion, gift cards are a popular way to give gifts, but it can be frustrating when you can’t use them or don’t want to keep them. Luckily, there are options for cashing in your gift cards, such as gift card exchange kiosks. Some stores like Walmart, Target, and Walgreens offer exchange programs, but it’s important to consider factors like minimum balances and fees before deciding where to cash in your gift card. With a little research, you can turn your unwanted gift cards into cash and avoid letting them go to waste.
