Prepaid gift ards are a rip-off! My wife is a school teacher and gets gift cards from her students. The balances start to decline after receiving the cards. You can't cash them in. When you use the card at a restaurant they automatically add 15% gratuity even with take out food. You can't use them everywhere. We have had card balances expire. If we get a gift card we use it ALL as soon as possible. I stopped giving gift cards due to the hassle. We now give checks or Amex gift checks.