Watch those gift cards

Ever used a gift card only to find out that it's empty? Figured you used the money at some point and just didn't remember? Or maybe you received it as a gift and felt odd going back to the giver?

You'd be surprised at how often gift cards go awry.

Take this for example: I stop by a hair salon to pick up a gift certificate for my mother on Mother's Day. Normally I get the paper ones but on this day, there was a line and a very exhausted saleswoman taking order after order. Apparently a popular gift that year. So I finally get up to the head of the line and they're using these new gift cards, electronic and much easier to track. So I paid for the card, in cash, and proceeded to the family gathering (I was a bit behind that year).

Fast forward about a month later and my mother is at the hair salon and attempts to use said gift card. Only there is nothing on it. Nada. Zilch.

Fortunately, this is my mother, and if I was going to scam her out of a gift, I would have picked up a 99¢ coffee mug at Walgreens, instead of a gift card. After calling me, and me explaining that I paid cash and back and forth with the salespeople, it was finally resolved. But it was resolved in the fact they believed her, not that they found out what happened.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. So did she when a similar incident happened to a "refund card" at a store just last week.

1. Always keep the receipt with the activation or proof you bought one.

2. Use a credit card, it will help with supporting documentation should you need it.

3. Keep a record in your head or a note or whatever works for you. Know if you use only a portion of it and know how much you have left on it.

Gift cards are a great gift, especially for those people that are hard to buy for (yes, Mom, I'm referring to you). But remember that gift cards are essentially money and should be treated as such.