An Easier Way to Use Debit Gift Cards

Over the past two holiday seasons, I had received a few Visa gift cards. This initially seemed like a wonderful gift, and much better than a particular store gift card in that I could use it anywhere. However, I realized that these credit card debit style gift cards are a bit tricky to use.

For most standard gift cards, you would go to the store, shop, then when they ring you up, you would give the cashier your gift card. If the total due was less than the card balance, so be it. If the amount due was more than the card balance, the card balance would be deducted, then the remainder of the purchase could be paid for with cash, check, debit card, or credit card.

With the Visa debit cards, they work the same way only if the purchase price is less than or equal to the card balance. If the balance is lower than the purchase price, the card will decline. That means you have to figure out beforehand that you have, for example, $36.71 left on your card, and the purchase is $45.29, so you could tell the cashier that you need to first write a check or give cash for whatever that difference is; if you can figure it out, and if the cashier can even put a partial portion on some other method of payment.

To avoid these issues when I received another Visa debit card, I used it to purchase a gift card at the grocery store where I usually shop. This made it alot easier to spend the money and not be left with an odd balance that was hard to use up. You could also split the amount on the original debit gift card, let's say it was $50, and get a $20 grocery card and a $30 Target card. You can decide what works best for you. In any event, this method with save you time and frustration and will also keep you from wasting the remaining balance on the credit card style gift card.