Many of us start shopping in November, which is why we may need a refresher on gift cards. 2 things you need to be aware of are expiration dates and fees. First off, it's important to remember shopping mall gift cards and those from companies like Visa and MasterCard may include activation fees, transaction fees, and they may even deduct from the balance if you don't use it in a certain amount of time. That means the face value of the card you think you're buying is not really what it's worth at all. Often times, you may be better off buying a gift card from a direct retailer. As far as expiration dates, a recent change in the federal law will keep your card form expiring for 5 years. If there is any sort of "use by" date, in Tennessee it has to be printed on the card itself. Always ask before you buy. You can find all of our SAVING YOU MONEY reports at Fox17.com. Don't forget to share your money saving ideas with us on Facebook and Twitter.
SAVING YOU MONEY: Gift Cards