Take care when buying a gift card for Mother's Day

If you are giving your mom a gift card or gift certificate for Mother’s Day, here are a few tips.

First, consider your mom’s taste.

Choose a business that she already frequents or really wished she could if she had the extra cash to splurge.

Once you have decided on a store you think she will like, take a few minutes to look around.

This applies whenever you buy a gift card for anyone — a mom, dad, friend or a child.

If you cannot find at least five items the recipient would like in a store, it may not be the right location from which to purchase a gift card.

Before you purchase a gift card or certificate from any store or service provider, read the fine print very carefully.

If you do not like the terms and conditions, buy elsewhere.

Find out if any fees might be deducted from the card — for example, some salons will include the gratuity.

Pay attention to any expiration dates and any additional fees.

This information may appear on the card itself, on the accompanying sleeve or envelope, or on the issuer’s website. If you do not see it, ask for it.

Make sure that whatever the salesperson tells you is in writing.

Receipt

Treat gift cards and gift certificates like cash.

If it is lost or stolen, report it to the issuer immediately.

Some issuers will not replace the cards, others will replace them for a fee or you may be out the entire amount.

Give the recipient the original receipt to verify the card’s purchase in the event it is lost or stolen.

If your card or certificate expires before you have had a chance to use it or exhaust its value, contact the issuer.

They may extend the date, although they may charge a fee to do that.

Whatever you find out about the gift card or certificate should be passed along to the gift recipient so they too know what they have and how to use it.

You do not want the recipient to lose out on any of the benefits.

If all else fails and you run out of options, consider making personalized gift cards for mom, something that she can redeem at home such as a car wash, the grass cut, a home-cooked meal, a catered evening for her and her friends or babysitting.

This is an opportunity to be creative and involve the entire family.

If you are a mom and receive a gift card or gift certificate for Mother’s Day, spend it as soon as possible or put in it your wallet where you can see it every day.

Do not put it in a safe place and save it — out of sight is out of mind.

By the time you find it again it will be probably be out-of-date and the gift-giver will be left out of pocket.

Finally, to all you moms out there, have a wonderful Mother’s Day on Sunday. 

Honey Adams is the education officer for the office of Consumer Affairs. For more consumer savvy information, visit www.ca.gov.bm