B&N Dilemma: What to Do with a Superabundance of Gift Cards?

issybird · 12-16-2010, 07:17 PM

I bought my sister a Nook for Christmas, using gift cards I bought to get a freebie. I learned tonight that her best friend's family bought her a Kindle for Christmas. Therefore, the Nook has to go back, which will get me $149 in gift credit and not a chargeback to my credit card. Sigh. I also have an additional $62 in pending and realtime gift cards.

I see three options. One: I can squirrel away all the credit and be somewhat profligate in my ebook purchases for a while (Agency books, here I come!). Two: I can plan to burn them off in purchases of gifts over time. Or a combination of one and two, of course. It's Three that's teasing at me: Do I combine all $211 in gift credit and put it toward a Nook Color? I have no real need for a Nook Color, but I'm sure I would have fun with it. On the other hand, my iPod Touch answers my needs for web browsing on the go, I prefer e-ink for reading, and I have no interest in e-magazines.

Opinions? Or an option I haven't considered?

RW2112 · 12-16-2010, 07:30 PM

The techie in me says go for option 3!

However, it makes the most sense from what you said to go with the option 1&2 combo.

jasonkchapman · 12-16-2010, 07:37 PM

Need? What's need got to do with it. We're talkin' gadget here.

khalleron · 12-16-2010, 07:57 PM

Whatever you do, don't wait too long. Gift cards are basically 'dead' money.

Spend it or lose it.

tubemonkey · 12-16-2010, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

Opinions? Or an option I haven't considered?

Option 4: give them away. I like gift cards.

DixieGal · 12-16-2010, 08:07 PM

Donate them to an adult literacy program for books, then take the charitable donation deduction?

JeremyR · 12-16-2010, 09:33 PM

I think buying something big is always better than frittering it away on smaller stuff.

RW2112 · 12-16-2010, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Option 4: give them away. I like gift cards.

I was thinking that when I made my post too...

wvcherrybomb · 12-16-2010, 09:55 PM

Where are you getting all the gift cards? I want in on this.

This is a fun post to respond to since how to spend money has never been an issue for me.

Since you prefer eInk for reading and you already have an iPod Touch, it doesn't seem like you would get very much use from the NOOKcolor in the long run. It may be just a novelty to play with for awhile then collect dust.

I would go on a serious eBook shopping spree. Treat yourself to some over priced books that you wouldn't otherwise buy.

luvshihtzu · 12-17-2010, 02:39 AM

Your sister might prefer the nook especially if she doesn't buy books. I wanted to get my daughter a Kindle, but her family only uses the library so I got her a Sony.

Fbone · 12-17-2010, 04:26 AM

Can you gift the nook to someone else?

mbelec · 12-17-2010, 07:08 AM

You could sell the gift cards on ebay for close to the face value.

bjones6416 · 12-17-2010, 09:33 AM

I'd go for the Nook Color, but then I'm in the "always need another gadget" school of thought!

gtriever · 12-17-2010, 11:11 AM

(1) Buy Nook Color
(2) Root that puppy
(3) Sell no-longer-needed iPod Touch (Take THAT, Apple!)
(4) Buy more books with the proceeds
(5) Eat Mor Chikin, while browsing on that gorgeous Nook Color IPS screen

boswd · 12-17-2010, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

Need? What's need got to do with it. We're talkin' gadget here.

option 3 option 3 option 3

12-16-2010, 07:17 PM	#1
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,517 Karma: 236076651 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	B&N Dilemma: What to Do with a Superabundance of Gift Cards? I bought my sister a Nook for Christmas, using gift cards I bought to get a freebie. I learned tonight that her best friend's family bought her a Kindle for Christmas. Therefore, the Nook has to go back, which will get me $149 in gift credit and not a chargeback to my credit card. Sigh. I also have an additional $62 in pending and realtime gift cards. I see three options. One: I can squirrel away all the credit and be somewhat profligate in my ebook purchases for a while (Agency books, here I come!). Two: I can plan to burn them off in purchases of gifts over time. Or a combination of one and two, of course. It's Three that's teasing at me: Do I combine all $211 in gift credit and put it toward a Nook Color? I have no real need for a Nook Color, but I'm sure I would have fun with it. On the other hand, my iPod Touch answers my needs for web browsing on the go, I prefer e-ink for reading, and I have no interest in e-magazines. Opinions? Or an option I haven't considered?

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12-16-2010, 07:30 PM	#2
RW2112 Connoisseur Posts: 81 Karma: 32172 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Device: iPad 2	The techie in me says go for option 3! However, it makes the most sense from what you said to go with the option 1&2 combo.

12-16-2010, 07:37 PM	#3
jasonkchapman Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 2347 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NYC Device: Sony Reader, nook, Droid, nookColor, nookTablet	Need? What's need got to do with it. We're talkin' gadget here.

12-16-2010, 07:57 PM	#4
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Whatever you do, don't wait too long. Gift cards are basically 'dead' money. Spend it or lose it.

12-16-2010, 08:07 PM	#6
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Donate them to an adult literacy program for books, then take the charitable donation deduction?

12-16-2010, 09:33 PM	#7
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	I think buying something big is always better than frittering it away on smaller stuff.

12-16-2010, 09:55 PM	#9
wvcherrybomb Sharp Shootin' Grandma Posts: 847 Karma: 1123940 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Literati (has been adopted by my daughter)	Where are you getting all the gift cards? I want in on this. This is a fun post to respond to since how to spend money has never been an issue for me. Since you prefer eInk for reading and you already have an iPod Touch, it doesn't seem like you would get very much use from the NOOKcolor in the long run. It may be just a novelty to play with for awhile then collect dust. I would go on a serious eBook shopping spree. Treat yourself to some over priced books that you wouldn't otherwise buy.

12-17-2010, 02:39 AM	#10
luvshihtzu Groupie Posts: 194 Karma: 39390 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tucson, Arizona Device: Kindle DX Graphite, Sony 950 and iPad	Your sister might prefer the nook especially if she doesn't buy books. I wanted to get my daughter a Kindle, but her family only uses the library so I got her a Sony.

12-17-2010, 04:26 AM	#11
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,318 Karma: 103930826 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Can you gift the nook to someone else?

12-17-2010, 07:08 AM	#12
mbelec Addict Posts: 209 Karma: 1165996 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Maine Device: sony prs-350, Ipad 3	You could sell the gift cards on ebay for close to the face value.

12-17-2010, 09:33 AM	#13
bjones6416 ↓↓ Skirt!! Earrings!! Posts: 3,394 Karma: 17432172 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Georgia, USA Device: Acer netbook, JetBook Lite, Sony PRS-300, Kindle 2, Kindle Fire	I'd go for the Nook Color, but then I'm in the "always need another gadget" school of thought!

12-17-2010, 11:11 AM	#14
gtriever Addict Posts: 286 Karma: 2125576 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Forma	(1) Buy Nook Color (2) Root that puppy (3) Sell no-longer-needed iPod Touch (Take THAT, Apple!) (4) Buy more books with the proceeds (5) Eat Mor Chikin, while browsing on that gorgeous Nook Color IPS screen