Find special deals
for gift card options
Chances are, you’ll buy at least one gift card for somebody this holiday season. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, 81 percent of holiday shoppers will purchase one. It’s estimated that consumers will spend $28.8 billion on gift cards.
When buying gift cards:
Look for incentives from retailers, especially restaurants. Right now, Outback and Bonefish Grill will give you a $20 gift card when you purchase $100 in gift cards. Purchase a $25 gift card at Olive Garden and receive an additional $5 gift card.
Purchase discounted cards or sell unused cards on websites such as GiftCardGranny.com and GiftcardRescue.com. Be sure to read the fine print.
Keep an eye on daily deal sites such as Groupon and Living Social.
Get creative: For those who need their java fix, buy a mug and include it with a coffee shop card and include some after-coffee mints. For a DIYer, tape a home improvement store card to a roll of duct tape. Put a movie card in a box of candy. Attach a card for a mani-pedi on a pair of flip-flops.
If you get a gift card, don’t be a hoarder. A November Consumer Reports survey found that a quarter of adults still hadn’t used at least one gift card from the previous holiday season. Some cards lose their value over time.
— Tara McAlister
The Charlotte Observer
Lowdown on tipping
for service providers
Here’s advice on tipping service providers and others for the holidays:
• Include a thank you note. “Holiday giving is really a way of saying thank you,” says Tobie Stanger, senior project editor for the Consumer Reports National Research Center, which tracks gifting for service providers. A note is especially important if you’re giving less than usual — or can’t afford to give at all, she says.
• The rule of thumb is to tip the cost of one session for a provider you see regularly, like a personal trainer, babysitter or lawn-care provider, says Jodi R.R. Smith of etiquette consulting firm Mannersmith. For daily helpers like nannies, elder-care workers and dog walkers, give a week’s pay, at least.
• Cash is preferable for most recipients, but in a few cases, gifts are the better choice. “In a lot of school districts, they frown upon teachers getting cash. It could be looked on as a bribe,” Stanger explains. Postal workers can’t accept cash, or any gift valued at more than $25. A generic gift card is better than one to a specific store if you don’t know what the housekeeper likes, says Smith.
— Kelli B. Grant
MarketWatch
Hints from Heloise:
Take reminder photo
of your parking space
Jamie T. in Illinois writes: After an airline trip, I was in the parking garage and noticed a woman taking a photo with her cellphone of the number and letter of the parking space.
I thought this was a wonderful idea, as I have gotten lost in a parking garage!
Heloise answers: This is a favorite hint in Heloise Central! Use it for stadiums, outlet malls, amusement parks and college campuses.
— King Features Syndicate