• Home
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

4 Hats and Frugal

  • Finance
    • Frugal Tips and Tricks
    • Money Saving Tips
  • Family
    • Parenting
    • Travel
  • Food
    • Meal Planning
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Side Dish
    • Entrees
    • Desserts
  • Fashion
    • Frugal Fashion
    • Fashion Capsule
  • Entertainment
    • Disney
    • Movies
  • Video
  • Privacy Policy

How to Use Up Low Balance Gift Cards

Sharing is caring!

  • Share
  • Tweet

This is a great tutorial on how to use up low balance gift cards. Bookmark it for after the holiday season!

Have you ever been so excited to receive a gift card for your birthday, the holidays, or maybe just as a thank you? You use it to treat yourself to something nice, but you end up not using the whole balance. You have 2.14 left on the card, but no idea how to use up that last little bit of change. There is a really easy way to get that money off of that gift card and into something that you will use it for. Here’s the kicker: it involves Amazon. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to use up low balance gift cards.

Disclaimer: This tutorial only works for gift cards from major credit card companies like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Since these cards are already viewed as pre-paid credit, they work well for this tutorial. There is a great way to use up store gift cards. If you would like to see that tutorial posted, leave a comment below.

Step 1: Find out the balance of your card

This is the most difficult part of the whole process. You will have to tediously call each phone number on the back of each gift card to find out the balance. Either write the balance in marker on the back or front, or write it on a sticky note and place that on the card.

Step 2: Sign into your Amazon.com account

While Amazon does force you to do this step later, why not get it out of the way now? It’s important to log in so your “purchase” is documented on your account.

Step 3: Click on the “Gift Cards” link above the search bar

You could also type in “Gift Cards” in the search bar, but just click the link. It’s easier.

Step 4: Choose “Email” under Instant Delivery

Step 5: Choose your delivery type and design

You will be emailing this to yourself, so no need to pick anything fancy or specific.

Step 6: Choose “set my own” on the Amount drop-down, then add the amount that is on the gift card.

Step 7: Type in your email address under “Recipient E-mail” and your name under “Your Name.”

Also, set the delivery date to “Now” and click purchase.

Step 8: Choose “add new card” and type in all pertinent information

It will ask for a first and last name, so just put your name there. Click continue.

Step 9: Confirm your purchase

Step 10: Look for an email from amazon with your new amazon gift code!

There will have interactions on how to add the code to your account, and utilize it for a future purchase.

After completing these steps, you’ll have those balances waiting for you the next time you log into Amazon to make a purchase.

My friend Robyn has a great tutorial sharing how to transfer small gift card balances to bank or paypal accounts. Be sure to check that out, as well.

I hope this helps you in some way. If it does, please use the share buttons below to share with friends and family.

« I Was A Teenage Maniac
Noise with Glitter and Dirt On It »

Comments

  1. Olga says

    October 3, 2014 at 10:32 am

    Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      October 3, 2014 at 10:37 am

      You’re welcome, Olga!

      Reply
  2. Beth says

    October 5, 2014 at 8:27 am

    I never ever would have thought of doing this in a million years. Thank you for the great piece of advice!!

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      October 5, 2014 at 4:39 pm

      You’re so welcome, Beth! I don’t know why I didn’t write about this sooner. It’s such a money-saver!

      Reply
  3. Practical Parsimony says

    October 5, 2014 at 6:57 pm

    I didn’t even know this was possible. So, you are trading it in for a lower amount than is on the gift card? Or do you just add the balance left to Amazon and they deal with collecting the balance?

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      October 6, 2014 at 5:48 pm

      You are actually buying an amazon gift card with your visa/mastercard/amex card! You don’t lose any money, since those cards are viewed as pre-paid debit cards. Isn’t that cool?

      Reply
  4. Gina says

    October 9, 2014 at 10:08 am

    Thank you! I had a pile of little cards in my desk drawer and now they’re gone!

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      October 10, 2014 at 10:04 pm

      Whoo Hoo! You’re welcome, Gina.

      Reply
  5. Brandi says

    October 24, 2014 at 8:41 am

    Going to take some time today to do this! Thanks for the great tip!

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      November 2, 2014 at 4:59 pm

      You’re welcome, Brandi!

      Reply
  6. Nichole says

    December 19, 2014 at 11:06 am

    Whenever I receive gift cards with a Visa/Mastercard logo, I activate them immidiately and then logon to my cable account, electric bill, or phone bill and apply the full amount to that bill. My thinking is, the full amount is used immediately and I do not have to worry about having a few dollars left over.

    Reply
  7. Jess king says

    July 27, 2015 at 9:38 pm

    You mentioned a tutorial for using up store gift cards? I have bunches and would love to know the secret!

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      July 28, 2015 at 1:03 pm

      Thanks for commenting, Jess! I’ll be sure to add that tutorial to my editorial calendar and get it up soon.

      Reply
  8. Kerri (The Maven) says

    July 29, 2015 at 9:47 am

    This is what I do with them too!#greatminds

    Reply
  9. Debbie says

    November 5, 2015 at 10:35 am

    Did I miss something? You mentioned that you would add the tutorial on how to use up store gift cards…but I can’t find anything about it.

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      November 5, 2015 at 11:18 am

      HI Debbie!

      No, you didn’t miss anything. I haven’t had the chance to create the tutorial for that yet, but thank you for reminding me. I’ll get it up ASAP!

      Reply
      • Debbie says

        November 5, 2015 at 1:06 pm

        Thanks! Looking forward to putting that “forgotten”
        money to good use!

        Reply
  10. Jess says

    January 3, 2016 at 1:21 am

    I’m interested in the tutorial for using up store gift cards

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      January 4, 2016 at 12:16 pm

      Working on it, Jess!

      Reply
  11. Basis says

    March 9, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    Hi.great tips. I m also interested for tutorial how to use money from store gift cards.

    Reply
  12. alicia says

    March 19, 2016 at 9:38 am

    Hello! Did you ever do a tutorial for store gift cards? would LOVE an idea!!!! thanks!

    Reply
    • Amiyrah says

      March 21, 2016 at 3:31 pm

      Not yet! It’s on the list 🙂

      Reply
  13. liz says

    September 9, 2016 at 10:53 am

    I’d be interested in the store gift cards article too! Is it up somewhere, maybe I missed it.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Amiyrah is an African American frugal blogger at 4 Hats and Frugal. Click through to learn more about her and her family.
Amiyrah is an African American frugal blogger at 4 Hats and Frugal. Click her photo to learn more about her and her family.
Email me: 4hatsandfrugal@gmail.com

Plan Your Year Now!

How To Plan Your Year In A Day.

Copyright © 2021 · 4 Hats and Frugal by Krizzy Designs

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest