Can you take unactivated gift cards?

Ugh, gift cards. You know, the ones that are supposed to be such a great gift? So often, they’re a pain. Can you even imagine trying to use an unactivated one? I tried once, years ago, with a Target gift card my aunt gave me – she’d gotten it on clearance, I think, and totally forgot to activate it. The cashier looked at me like I’d sprouted a second head. It was mortifying, let me tell you. Completely embarrassing.

The short answer is no, honey, most places won’t take ’em. They just won’t. Think about it – how would the store know if it’s a real card, or, you know, cleverly faked? Activation, which usually means adding some money to it, is a must. It’s like, the first thing they do at the register, before it even leaves the store. That way, it’s linked to a certain amount of cash. Makes perfect sense, right? Otherwise, it’s just a piece of plastic, not much use to anyone. I mean, it’s like trying to use a check that isn’t signed, or – I don’t know – a coupon that’s expired. It’s just not gonna work.

So, next time you get a gift card, check to make sure it’s activated. You don’t want to end up looking as foolish as I did that day at Target! Learn from my mistakes, people!

#Giftcards #Giftvouchers #Unusedcards