Death by Gift Card

I have a small stack of Gift Cards that have accumulated over the years, that's right -years, because I suffer from a little known illness called Gift Card Anxiety, or GCA. Due to this disorder it is very difficult for me to spend a gift card. While gifts cards usually come with the best of intentions to give me the freedom of buying whatever I want, it's really like giving me a little piece of torture wrapped in a bow. For example: Right now I have two gift cards to the same pedicure place. Who wouldn't love that? Well, my GCA sets in and all the sudden I can't decided if I want to use them at the same time and get extra special things I would never spend extra money on, like massages or fancy lotion, or do I spilt them up and go two times getting the basic deal? I've had a gift card to a favorite restaurant for almost two years now because the amount is sort of an awkward amount; not enough to completely pay for dinner. Do I go and get a really high priced meal for half the price or do I just buy dessert and not pay anything at all? The one that's causing me the most anguish though is the Visa gift card. This is just like cash, I can spend it anywhere on anything. So what do I do? Do I use it practically or spend it on something I usually would never spend money on? Do I milk it for all it's worth and buy six pairs of jean at TJMaxx or use it to help take the edge off and use it to buy 1/8 of a pair from Saks. (Don't answer that, Beckey). These are tough times, do I buy myself a tank of gas or do I assume since it is a gift I should buy something just for me. Should I take Mark out dinner with it or can I use it to pay the babysitter? See! It's killing me! I'm writing this with the risk that someone reading it will take offense and never buy me a gift card again, and I hope I haven't hurt anyones feelings. I'm just sharing my battles here, folks, just putting them out there for the world to read and think, gee, I'm so glad my life is bigger than what to spend a gift card on. Which I hope is the case, I really do because this GCA is the pits. Just the pits.

Comments

Wendy said…
Oh friend... I feel you. I kept my $100 Amex gift card for about 8 months, and finally used it at Burke Williams for a massage. Well spent I might add. I will be ready for a pedi next week, so we can take care of a couple of those real soon.
8:24 PM
Anonymous said…
You are sad sad my friend. Give them to me and I promise I will have NO problem at all with them. :) Seriously though use some on yourself and some practically. Aren't you happy to have a problem like this? Oh by-the-way I'm on facebook!!
9:01 PM
Jessica said…
It's hard for me unless I have something specific in mind that I want to buy. I had a macy's gift card which I used to buy new jeans for my husband with every intention of reimbursing myself in cash. Of course it never happened, but Kyle loves the two pairs of Levi's he received and that makes me happy. Just remember they are your gift cards and whatever you choose to do with them is the right thing.
8:14 AM
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