SELL OR SWAP THOSE UNUSED GIFT CARDS

IT’S not just loyalty points that can bring your costs down. Gift cards are also a way to get goods or experiences for nothing. However, at least 20 per cent of gift cards are never redeemed. In fact, gift card re-seller Cardyard estimated consumers in the UK threw away nearly £500 million in unspent gift cards in 2020 alone. That’s like throwing away huge bundles of £50 notes.

So have a rummage in your drawers and wallet to see if you have an unused gift card or two. Some retailers will extend the life of your card if you call them and explain that you need a bit more time. If you have a card for a shop or restaurant that you never go to, you should at least get some of the money back on that by selling it or swapping it with others.

Cardyard.co.uk enables you to swap unused gift cards for those you would actually spend. If you don’t see a card you want to swap with, you could sell yours for cash or credit. You won’t get the full amount of the card, but you’ll get more if you go for credit than cash.

You could also offer your gift card direct to buyers through Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, Shpock or, of course, eBay.

If you get good at selling these cards, you could get into ‘gift card flipping’, where you buy gift cards at a discount (say a £50 card for £40) and then sell them at a profit.